Ashes of the Future
by Arhani 'Hanny' Daforcena
Summary: Thirty years after series. Van emerges as a threat, and it is up to Saya to stop him with the help of Nathan and Solomon. Wait... where the heck is Hagi? and who are the new Chevaliers? At the end of it all, they search for HOME... SolXSa COMPLETED!
1. Awakening

"Saya… It is time…" Saya heard a very, very familiar voice calling out to her. Had thirty years passed so quickly? In an instant, she could only feel the softness and warmth around her, and when she opened her beautiful chestnut eyes, she saw a pair of ice-blue eyes looking back at her. Wait a minute… Hagi's eyes, they were of a darker hue, although blue in color they remained. As her vision cleared, she saw Solomon, wearing a black suit, in the tomb of her adoptive family. He held her in his arms, defying every single rule of logic available. She remembered that day well, he had been cut by her katana, already holding her blood when James dropped it. He should have been crystallized… but he survived. Why? "You need blood" he said, and began to loosen his tie and undid the top button of his shirt. Lowering his collar, he gently led Saya to the arch of his neck, where she bared her hidden fangs and drank her fill.

As she drank his blood, many questions swarmed in her head. Where was Hagi? How did he survive? What year was it, even? When she had taken her fill, she asked him the very first question that came into her mind, but he was silent. She gazed into his eyes, seeking an answer, an answer that Solomon knew he could not give without breaking her heart. Instead, he held her tight in his arms, and stroked her now-long raven hair.

"I am in no position to answer that question" he said, and took her by her hand. Step by step, he led her out of the tomb, only smiling when she found Kai standing before her with a pair of twins who seemed to be about her age. They were Diva's twin daughters, the next Queens of the Chiropterans. Saya looked at them intently, and found that they resemble her and her sister, with a hint of Riku's features as well. The both of them were free… She… _was…_ free.

"This is Dina" Kai said, gesturing to the twin who had her eyes, "and this is Kaya" He gestured to the other one whose eyes resembled Diva's. Both were extremely beautiful, with not a hint of malice in their hearts. Without needing him to tell them who she was, they immediately went to hug her, calling her "Oba-chan" amidst countless giggles and joyful laughs.

Saya was overjoyed to see them so happy. "Hi there, Dina… Kaya!" she said, hugging them in return. Looking at them made her think about the past. She and Diva could be this happy if they were given the chance, she was sure of it. Banishing unhappy thoughts about the past, she then said to Kai, "It's good to see you again, Kai" Her adoptive brother was already well into his middle-ages, red hair now streaked with hints of grey. "Do you need some dye to put your hair back into their original color?"

Kai laughed. "I see that you're perfectly fine, being able to tease like that" he said, ruffling her hair. "Oh, you need a haircut" However, she shook her head. She wanted her hair long, this time. It was a new beginning for her, when there were no longer any enemies to fight, no more sadness to witness. Her mind immediately darted to those happy days spent with Hagi so long ago in Bordeaux.

"Oba-chan, there's _so _much we want to talk to you about!" Kaya said excitedly. "Let's get home, can we Kai?" At Kai's nod of approval, Solomon volunteered to give Saya a lift to the Omoro, which surprised her quite a bit, but not Kai and the twins.

"Solomon has been a big help for the twins in their travels around the world" Kai explained, not knowing that the Chevalier was supposed to be dead three decades ago. "He covered all their expenses whenever they're out of Okinawa" But… wasn't Cinq Fleches confiscated by the US military after _that_ incident? How was he able to get it back?

Willingly, she got onto his car, a very beautiful Ferrari that matched the color of his eyes. The moment the engine was started, Solomon said, "I know what you wish to know". He placed his hand on hers, surprised that she did not react to the gesture. "I should have died years ago… My arm, my chest were actually crystallized after I left your New York home" He had seen Amshell where he thought he would meet his end. "As I said, I managed to overcome my blood, and become your Chevalier" Long was the process of healing, and hard was the guilt he had to suffer when under the surveillance and aid of the Red Shield. It was the hope of her awakening that drove him to this day, the very thought of seeing her again granted him his rebirth, it seemed.

She forced as smile, looking at the blue sea as they passed it. "How about Cinq Fleches, then?" she asked out of curiosity. "It must be hard trying to take it back from the US military" However, it was common knowledge that he was one of the most outstanding businessmen, and would easily rebuild the pharmaceutical empire in no time.

Once again, Solomon smiled. "Do not worry, Saya. All is under control, after half my fortune has been given to the US government, that is" The wealth of the Goldsmith clan was legendary, with him being the CEO again; there was nothing to be feared for the company. She was sure of it. "I… could not have pulled through without the hope of seeing you awake once again" Immediately, Saya blushed. Of course, she had not forgotten that he loved her. She had told him that she had no time to pursue those sweet dreams he had promised her… But now, she was free… Could _they_ work out together? What about Hagi?

"Forgive me, I did not expect to see you" she said in a small voice. Her words shattered his heart. How was he to tell her that Hagi had perished in his fight against Amshell at the MET? How was he to tell her that Amshell had previously obtained a syringe filled with Diva's blood and used it against her first Chevalier? The moment that balcony collapsed on them both, they ceased to exist. Forever.

However, for her, he would put up a joyful front despite the situation he was in. "There is nothing to forgive, Saya. You and Hagi have been through thick and thin, along with too much bloodshed. It is natural that you would seek him" Once they reached the Omoro, he stopped the car, got down, and opened her door like the gentleman he was. "Your family awaits you", he said, taking he white hand to kiss it before bowing her farewell.

"Thank you…"


	2. Family

Thirty years did not change Kai much, for he still appeared to have his usual spunk, but there was one single improvement in him: His cooking. The greatest surprise was that he finally married Mao, and soon became the head of the Yakuza gang that her father headed. As Saya ate, Kaya and Dina merely stared at her in wonder of her amazing appetite. The both of them took martial arts training just to keep fit, adding Pilates, cardiovascular training and even Yoga to their daily routines, but Saya just ate, and ate, and ate. "Oba-chan, you really love to eat, don't you?" Kaya asked, only to be knocked on the head by her twin.

"Oba-chan can eat as much as she wants, Kaya" Dina said. She had longed to see Saya for a long time now, although she was familiar with everything that happened to the Red Shield, her biological mother, and Saya herself. She and Kaya were raised in such a way that they were sheltered only from hatred and malice, and she was grateful for it. Her only regret in life was that she never knew her mother… "Ne, Oba-chan, Solomon Oji-san seems to be _extremely_ interested in you, any ideas why?"

Immediately, Saya dropped her spoon. Solomon loved her, and it could not be denied. She appreciated his feelings for her, but she had Hagi, and a mission to complete. His sweet promises to her were only dreams that she could never achieve, but now with Diva dead and gone, perhaps, she could… No, Hagi loved her; he promised that he would always be there for her… Immediately, she was torn between two men who loved her, one who has been with her ever since she began her quest, the other, defying death to be with her. "He is a dear friend" she answered, finding it miraculously easy to tell herself and others that. "Although he was Diva's Chevalier, he still helped me a lot…" She fell silent, unable to decide how she truly felt about Solomon… Hiding her inner struggle, she then asked them how they came to know Solomon, a question that Mao answered.

"The girls were doing research on _Great Businessmen of the 21st Century_, and decided on Solomon-san" she said, sighing, "However, when they got to the Paris headquarters, they were mugged, and they fought their way through the streets of Paris" A long explanation soon ensued, and from what Saya managed to piece together, the twins were almost run over by Solomon and caused his car to hit the person who mugged them instead. The moment he found out that their wounds, however minor, could heal within seconds, he brought them into his office and "interrogated" them. It all happened when they were in college, and ever since then, he had spoiled them with many trips around the world, with the many, many photographs to prove it.

Without knowing the meaning of delay, Kaya fetched a thick leather-bound photograph album and showed it to Saya. Indeed, they have been to many places, places that she wanted to see as well. From the Coliseum to the Petronas Twin Towers, they had been to almost every corner of the world. _Come with me and travel the world_, he said to her three decades ago when he had kidnapped her in New York. There were no pictures of him in the twins' photograph album, and when asked why, Dina answered that he never did once travel with them… Was he truly waiting for her?

"I would have a bone to pick with him if he dotes on them any further" Kai said. "Seriously, what person would fund _all_ the expenses of their travels? Do you know how these two spend money?"

"Hey, we _earned_ it" Kaya snapped back. "For your information, we, are now the analysts of Cinq Fleches responsible of tapping new resources and frontiers" Saya was immediately taken aback. They were sure different from her and Diva: She loved to run and fence, while her sister loved to sing… Kaya and Dina were indeed very special, and she wondered if anyone else saw that. But if they had traveled so extensively, would it be possible that they had met Hagi before?

Picking up the courage to ask the question, she bowed her head sadly when the twins asked who Hagi was in return. "Nobody has seen Hagi in the last thirty years, Saya" Kai said, his voice dropping as well. He had seen a salmon-pink rose on the Miyagusuku tomb, tied with a blue ribbon that had been used by Hagi to tie his hair, but how sure could he be that it was truly Hagi who put it there? He knew that Saya would be devastated, but it was impossible, if not absolutely difficult to get out of rubble that had fallen on both Hagi and Amshell, even Julia had no hope on Hagi's survival.

Saya kept her silence, but deep within her heart, she was screaming out of despair. Hagi… could not die… He had survived so many years, even life-threatening wounds in the circles of the Chevaliers… How could he perish so easily? There must be a reason to explain Hagi's fate, and she wanted to find out. But for the time being, she knew that she had to hold on to what little hope there was… She could not afford drop into despair again. She then stood up, and headed towards the door. "I wish to talk a walk… alone" she said in a subdued voice, and Kai agreed.

Once she opened the door, she saw Solomon once again, who immediately sensed her anguish. "Saya, is anything wrong?" When Saya shook her head, he knew that she was lying. "I knew from Kai-san that you loved the sea, shall we go there?" Meekly, she nodded and got into his car. It always calmed her, looking at the sea, perhaps… perhaps it could work its magic on her once again. The moment the car began to move, she felt soothed, even if it was only for a little bit. Was it the thought of going near the sea that soothed her, or was it Solomon's company?


	3. Solomon

The full moon hung high in the skies, high above the seas, while the glittering stars surrounded it. So beautiful was Saya in Solomon's eyes, so radiant and fair. But the sadness in her brown eyes was so evident that it broke his heart. He was so sure that he could make her happy, but he was wrong. He knew that he could not hide the truth from her any longer, for he knew that the later she knew about Hagi's death, the more pain she would feel. He could not bear to see her in so much sadness; he did not want to be reminded of his failure to bring her joy. Unsure of what to say, his mind darted to one thing they could talk of: the twins. "Did Dina and Kaya tell you how we came to meet?" he asked her.

It was only then that Saya forced another smile, in the least. "Yes… they must have given you quite a shock" At least, for the shortest moment, she would not be reminded of Hagi. Solomon did not hate that Chevalier of Saya, he merely saw him as a rival for her affections. He had always seen despair in their future, if they could be together… "How do you find them?" To her, her nieces were very delightful. They looked like normal teenagers, but were humble of their power and generous with everything they have… Kai really did a good job raising them.

"I must honestly say that they saved me the task of locating them" he replied with a ready smile. "It was they who told you that you slept in the tomb of your adoptive family's" It was a lie. He actually followed Kai the day she began her sleep. He was lucky that he was not seen. In his pocket was a very beautiful titanium ring, adorned by a red stone, which had countless diamonds on the band. The Cartier jeweler commissioned to fashion the ring was not aware that the stone was actually a crystallized piece of Hagi's blood. He had wanted to give it to her, to propose a second time, but he decided it was not the _best_ time, as of yet. Sighing, he continued, "Kaya and Dina are very beautiful, like you and Diva. They are free, without any chains to bind them, not duty, nor hatred. Their kindness and gentleness remind me of Riku, and… you"

Saya blinked in surprise. "Me?" she asked. There was nothing to be admired of her, nothing. She had caused only chaos and pain throughout her life, by releasing Diva. She had wanted to die along with her sister, but was stopped by Kai and Hagi. Hagi… where was he, truly? She had always felt that only she could live with Hagi, for only he understood her, only he knew what she wanted... "I have nothing…" But as she thought more of her missing, stalwart Chevalier, she felt herself leaning subconsciously towards Solomon's warm body.

Using only his thumb and index finger, he tipped her chin as he once did in New York. "Saya, why do you always doubt everything that is so beautiful about you?" he asked her. She had thought that he only said those sweet words to bring her to Diva's side, or to kill her. It was only until when he was almost killed by James', and swore to be her Chevalier on his own will that he revealed that his intentions were not maleficent. He was even able to walked away seemingly unharmed… "It is not my instinct as Diva's _former_ Chevalier that brought my heart to yours, Saya" he then said, drawing closer towards her. "It is not my blood, either, but your soul"

Slowly and gently, he kissed her, knowing that there was a high chance that she would reject him, like the first time. However, she did not and would soon succumb to him. Before long, their Chiropteran blood caught hold of them and the passion that came between them escalated. He was so warm, so gentle despite his strength, treating her as if she was a piece of the most precious Ming Dynasty porcelain. Soon, their tongues found each other, and danced between their mouths, in a feral dance which steps only they knew of, setting them ablaze with the fire that threatened to burn their very souls.

Eventually gathering what self-control he had, Solomon broke the kiss, leaving Saya blushing and gasping for air. "Forgive me if I forced myself on you" he said, drawing her into his strong arms. Subconsciously, she leaned her head on his broad chest, and inhaled his scent of sandalwood. His heartbeat was so strong and steady; it was like a beating drum. She then knew that _all _his words were true, that he truly loved her. "About Hagi, I know that your heart still calls to him", he continued, tightening his hold of her. He then gazed into her eyes with his bright, ice-blue ones and kissed her forehead gently. "I will wait for you, Saya. No matter how long it takes, I will wait for you"

A sole tear dropped from her eye, etching the silhouette of a lone river down her cheek. "Solomon…" she said, burying her head deeper into his embrace. She was literally torn into two, finding herself towards him and still having lingering feelings towards Hagi. Why was he so willing to wait for her, knowing that she might never return his affections? But that kiss, it was anything but false. Her instincts told her that she started to harbor love towards him as well… "I do not deserve…"

Before she spoke again, he kissed her once again. This time, it was short and sweet, aimed only at silencing her self-hurting thoughts and words. "I will have none of it, Saya. Everything I do is by my own choice" With those words, he took her hand and kissed it before embracing her once more. How he wished that time would stop for them, only for that moment… "I love you"


	4. Queens

In the comfort and privacy of their room, Kaya and Dina were going over the database of Cinq Fleches. So far, they had only encountered _one_ of their mother's Chevaliers, and they were sure that there would be more. After all, they had read in Joel's Diary that Diva had _seven_… and from what they knew, only Solomon survived. But then what was the other presence they sensed ever since they were backpacking in Venice? That presence had power, power perhaps to match that of Solomon's, but they were not entirely sure who or what was it.

"Killed... Killed… Killed" Kaya read the information on the previous leaders of the Cinq Fleche empire, namely Amshell Goldsmith, James Ironside, and Carl Fei-Ong. However, she knew that they were all killed by Saya. Joel the 6th added quite a lot into the Diary before his untimely death, enough for them to get enough information on Diva's Chevaliers. "Are you sure that _thing_ that followed us at Venice was one of Diva's Chevaliers?" she asked her sister. They _never_ referred Diva as their mother, because they hardly even knew her. Their reason was that mothers were supposed to look after, care and nurture their children, but all Diva did was sing and created tens of millions of Chiropterans that almost overrun the world…

"Well, if _it_ was not a Chevalier, then what could _it_ be?" Dina answered, checking through Joel's Diary for the umpteenth time. Out of seven, only Solomon was alive, through many, many experiments and the recovery of the Delta 67 substance obtained painstakingly by him through the span of three years. Luckily for him, Julia was able to restore his arm and his chest, as well as the other crystallized parts of his body, willingly volunteering to participate in further experimentation on him. Although there were hardly any cases on Chiropteran attacks, the Red Shield had now one goal and one goal only: To protect the Queens from other forces that might use them as weapons of war. "You know perfectly well how far Solomon Oji-san's powers go, and this one is well, _different_"

If there was one thing they both lacked, it was experience, as they had _never_ met Hagi before, and grew up with only accounts of how the previous generation of humanoid Chiroptera lived fought and the like, Kaya and Dina hardly knew about dealing with Chevaliers at all, with the exception of Solomon, who had been their adoptive uncle, boss and financial backer. Of course they knew the responsibilities and functions of Chevaliers, they just did not know how to sense them, and more importantly, how to distinguish them.

Minutes passed, and they felt that foreboding presence yet again. They did not know what to do, and for the first time in their lives, they were afraid. Taking her throw-daggers from her pouch, Dina jumped onto the floor from her bed to join her sister, who backed to the nearby wall to reach for her glaive. True to their heritage as Chiropteran Queens, they were experts at handling bladed weapons, and provided excellent back-up to one another. In an instant, a man with hair the color of the sun appeared before them and sat on the couch casually. "Ara is this the way you greet your mother's Chevalier?" he asked, shocking them to no end. At that moment, Dina threw a dagger towards him, but the weapon was merely flicked away by a slight movement of his arm. "Good aim and form, young Queen, indeed you are Diva's daughter"

Kaya, who was near the door, tried to turn to knob, but it refused to move. "Damn it!" she cursed, and then pointed her glaive at him. "What do you want from us?" she demanded, evidently the more hot blooded among the pair. A smile formed at the corner of his lips. _Ah, I see Diva's temperament in you, little one_, he thought, advancing further. Dina threw another dagger at him, this time, hitting directly at his shoulder, which he plucked out without any change of expression despite the fact that it was lodged deep in his flesh. The bleeding wound healed the very moment he threw the second blade onto the floor.

"Nathan Mahler at your service, young Queens" he then said, kneeling to the both of them. "I mean you no harm, my dears. Don't be afraid" However, the twins were still unable to trust him, and luckily for them, Kai rushed into the room with a gun in his hand. "Ara, aren't you Saya's loyal bodyguard?" he asked teasingly. "Long time no see!"

Kai spat. "I don't know what the hell you want with Kaya and Dina, but I won't let you lay a finger on them both" he exclaimed, ready to pull the trigger if he needed to. He would do anything to protect them, even if it cost his life. He knew that Nathan was one of Diva's Chevaliers, having witnessed his request for Saya to kill him. Mao, however, did not know who he was, but found him to be rather odd in his preference of clothing. "Why are you alive, anyway?"

"Well, _that_ is a long story" Nathan said, smirking as he saw Saya and Solomon rushing into the room. "Hello there, Saya… Oh, come on; don't be so shocked to see me!" It was obvious that the two of them did not expect to see him, _at all_. The moment Saya sought to reach for the nearest possible weapon (in that case, Mao's hair-stick), Solomon stopped her.

Sighing, he asked, "Why are you here, Nathan?"

"Well, I just had to see how the next Queens turned out" he pouted. "Why don't we have a nice chat over a cup of coffee, for old times' sake?"

Fifteen minutes later, they were all seated at the bar-counter of the restaurant downstairs with steaming cups of coffee in their hands. Saya was the first to speak. "You… You asked me to kill you, how did you survive?"

Nathan chuckled. "Well, you see… I am not really what you think I am" he answered. "I am of Chiropteran blood, of course, and indeed a Chevalier, but not Diva's at all" Shock, shock, and more shock washed over all those who heard his words. "I am the Chevalier of _your _mother, Saya, right before she was frozen and horribly dissected by Joel Goldschmidt" He then turned to the twins and said, "Ever since then, I have made it a personal duty to watch over the Queens of our kind"


	5. Nathan

"You are named according to the initials found on the sarcophagus your mother was found in, was it not, Saya?" Nathan asked Saya, expecting nothing but a nod from her. "Do you know what they stand for?" Naturally, no one knew the answer. "Your mother's name was Sára Arya Yúla Airewen, hence, S.A.Y.A"

Although the name was queer to Saya and the rest, but Solomon knew that it was an ancient language used by the ancestors of the Scandinavian peoples. "So, the first Queen we know of was based in Scandinavia" he concluded. "How long did she live, Nathan?" It was a question many were _dying_ to ask. Did she go into hibernation, as Saya and Diva did, or did she just live out her immortal days, killing one or two people a month to be shared among her Chevaliers for sustenance? If she was alive at the time, how could Joel and Amshell dissect her and cast her body off as if it was a dead frog?

Nathan took a sip of coffee and sighed. "Hibernation is a must for the Queens, Solomon, no matter who they are. But, Arya had lived a life far longer than neither Saya nor Diva. All I remember was that she came to me after my village was attacked by Magyars, and all of a sudden, I was made a Chevalier" He remembered those dark, cold, days all too well. However, as gloomy and saddening as they were, Arya was always there for him to being the Sun back. They escaped to the eastern parts of Europe to escape the cold and the darkness, and settled in Romania. Soon enough, rumors of _vampires_ had then spread far across the land, and people were defending themselves against Arya and him with strings of garlic, crucifixes, and even holy water from churches. "The funny thing was people started the garlic idea because a farmer Arya tried to kill threw a string of garlic towards her in a bid for his life. Arya rather hates garlic because she hates the smell…"

At that moment, the twins were undecided that they were supposed to laugh, or to remain sober. However, Kaya was never one to back down from lightening up the mood. "So, our grandmother created the '_vampires_ are afraid of garlic' theory?" she asked Nathan. Everyone burst in laughter. In a way, it was true, and kind of ironic. Humans would always remain that way, ignorant of the real truth. "What of the stakes and the holy water, did those work too?"

Nathan shook his head. "If they did, well, I wouldn't be standing here, would I?" Once again, he sighed as the images of the past flooded his head again. "Arya would of course, act as if she was pained severely and would shriek and scream so loudly that sleeping birds would wake and fly away._That's_ when I got the idea of being a producer you see, she was such a great actress" Dina grimaced. So, that was how Diva got her passion of singing, and his passion for producing fine, talented artistes. Granted, Nathan coordinated each attack so well that the both of them could trick their victims into believing they truly defeated them.

The fact that Nathan was her mother's Chevalier did not stir Saya at all. It was the fact that she was able to turn those dark days into days of happiness that made Saya want to see her mother, at least for a moment. She wanted to have her mother's strength to carry on, to make the best of life. It was something that she could _never_ achieve. Nathan's words were proof enough to show how much energy and hope her mother had. No matter, she knew that those elements that she lacked, that Diva also lacked, could be gained in the future. She was sure of it.

Solomon merely held her hand in his, it itself a gesture that spoke many thousands of words. He had always wanted her to forget her grief and bitterness, and he knew that the information regarding her biological mother brought him a step closer to his goal. He had never told her, or the twins, that his past experiences with the three Chiropteran Queens gave him a very important lesson: The ties of family needed out be bound by blood. It was bound by love and respect for one another. Somewhere down the road, he must have forgotten it, blinded by Amshell's words and his own folly. "There is a lesson from the tale of the first Queen that you must know, my dears" he said to Dina and Kaya, who looked at him with curiosity in their eyes. "Live today for a better tomorrow"

As much as they wanted to puke out of the sheer corniness of Solomon's words, they nodded. Everything about them, from their deeds of their mother and Saya, to the previous efforts in wiping out Chiroptera by the Red Shield, it all boiled down to the will to live. They had not been in life-threatening situations, or those that would cause them to take drastic measures, so, they did not understand what was being taught to them very well. They had lived lives where dangers to them were carefully controlled by those unseen and unknown to them.

"On a lighter note" Nathan said, breaking the inch-thick silence. "How interested are you in attending _every show_ of the New York Fashion Week?" The big, bright eyes of the twins immediately became bigger and brighter. Both of them shot puppy-dog eyes to Kai, pleading for permission to go, knowing full well that Solomon would not pay a single cent without his approval first. As their appeal went on, he turned to Saya. "How about you, Saya?"

New York… it was where she last saw Hagi at the MET, where she killed Diva, and where Solomon had professed his love for her for the very first time. Going there might give her a chance to even look for her _missing_ Chevalier, if he was alive at the first place. She smiled. "I don't see why not"

Her words then gave Kaya and Dina extra advantage to use against Kai. "See, even Oba-chan wants to go" Dina cooed. "Pretty please?" By then, Mao was already nodding with approval, knowing that Kai would _never dare_ to refuse her. "We're talking about Chanel, Dolce and Gabbana, even Gwen Stefani's L.A.M.B!" At that moment, it became clear to Saya how indeed Solomon materially spoiled the twins.

"Yeah, how often do you get to receive free tickets to _every show_ by your_grandmother's Chevalier_?" Kaya added. "Kai, we promise do to the dishes for three weeks straight without a single word of complaint when we get back…"

Kai gave his best impression of a frown. "That is, _when_ you get back. The last time you went to Beijing, you backpacked all the way down the Silk Road for three months without a word from you both!" Ah, how he loved the scandalized look on their faces. "I almost _died_!" At his words, Mao snorted with laughter. Giving a sigh of defeat, he finally uttered the magic words. "Alright, you can go"

"Yes!" the twins exclaimed, and give each other, and Saya, a high five to celebrate their victory.

HAN: Ok… I would like to thank all the lovely people who reviewed this little school-holiday project of mine! You guys are just too sweet. For those who are keen to see Hagi alive and kicking, well, I'm dreadfully sorry to say that he's kicked the bucket. For good.

My thanks go to Fluffy's Pocky and Lady Icicle for reviewing _every_ chapter, and also XOiHeartMiloOX and fantaskie!! I hope I can finish this by Christmas!

Oh yeah, before I forgot, Saya's mother's name is a mix of Lord of the Rings-based languages, namely Sindarin and Quenya. (Sára means fiery) (Ar means royal and ya is a suffix for a name) (Yúla means ember) and (Airewen means Eternal maiden. This is a mix of Quenya and Sindarin) For those of you who do not know an inkling about LOTR (which is okay to me), these four words just make up S.A.Y.A, as mentioned above.

Bye for now!


	6. Confusion

When the day to travel to New York came, Kaya and Dina were busy packing their clothes to head for New York. Saya had a hard time trying to stifle her laughter at the sheer enthusiasm the both of them had. "Don't get us wrong, Oba-chan, we _have_ been to New York many times already" Kaya said to Saya, taking a halter-top and looking at herself in the mirror. "And if you're wondering, we do not mind at all going to the MET" Those words relieved Saya, but she was unsure whether she wanted to go there again, but then again, she wanted to have hope that Hagi was alive, and waiting for her.

Solomon and Nathan had returned to their respective hotels, and would come to the Omoro to take them to the airport within hours. As Saya packed the last of her clothes into her suitcase, she looked at her air ticket. She had been on planes before, but never for purposes of leisure, never with her young nieces. As of yet, she found them more and more adorable and loved them more every second. Life without them would certainly be dull and grey, she was sure of it.

"We just have never _been_ to any Fashion Week _anywhere_" Dina added. "Solomon Oji-san has been very, very generous to us" A knock on the door came, and Kai allowed himself into their room. He had an exasperated look on his face, which made Mao sigh behind him.

"If he spoils you girls any more, I'll have a bone to pick with him" he said, taking a seat at the sofa at the side of the room. He did not belief in spoiling children with material goods, but he also could not deny that the girls were still humble and generous without any _rich kid traits_ which he despised during his childhood. Why he was with Mao was still a mystery to him, but still… He was unable to comprehend why anyone would lavish the two boisterous girls with such luxurious gifts just because they did the same to their mother right before they tried to kill her. To him, he just could not put two and two together.

Mao then whispered to Saya, "Solomon-san once said that he could not resist their eyes" It was imminent to Saya that Mao knew exactly what Solomon was referring to, and she blushed. Her brown eyes looked towards the floor, much to Mao's disapproval. She then looked towards the twins and asked them whether they had finished packing, and ushered them out of the room once she got an affirmative answer and pushed their suitcases to them. "Your Oba-chan and I have some girl-to-girl talk going on, so out, all of you!" she exclaimed, locking the door.

"But Mao!" they whined, but with no avail. They certainly wanted to eavesdrop, and maybe even get some information about Saya's missing Chevalier. Nothing could stop them from getting the scoop they want, nothing. Taking out a small voice-recorder the size of a pencil (hey, it WOULD be 2035 by then) from her bag, Dina then slipped it under the eaves of the door and turned it on, hoping to get a recording of what Saya and Mao were talking about.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, you naughty girls" Nathan said, appearing out of a sudden. With lightning-fast reflexes, he snatched the device and put it back into Dina's bag where it belonged. "Now, I want you to march downstairs before _anyone_ gets wind of what you two planned to do" However, Kaya was not one to let down so easily, being the mirror image of her late mother, glared at him before softening her expression.

"Come on, Nathan" she pouted. "I am _sure_ that you are dying to know what is up with Oba-chan" The ancient Chevalier needed no more coaxing, and slipped the voice-recorder back under the door. Oh yes, one day, he will have something to use_against_ them as they did him. He would remember it dearly.

Inside the room, where the words of the eavesdroppers were unheard, Mao questioned Saya on what she thought about Hagi, and how she felt about Solomon. "I really don't know" she answered honestly, burying her head in her hands. She and Hagi spent so much time together that it was impossible to forget those days they shared, but Solomon… He risked it all to be with her, and gave everything he had for her. Even as her heart cried out for Hagi, he would still wait for her. Of course, instinct had to be calculated, but it could _not_ be ignored that despite being her Chevalier, Solomon threw a blade at Diva before, and even wanted to kill her. Hagi would find it hard, if not impossible to even move a muscle against her if she did not wish it.

"Do you even think Hagi was able to survive that amount of rubble falling on top of him?" Mao inquired further. "I'm no fool, Otonashi, I know that Solomon-san loves you from one glance" Saya looked into her eyes in surprise for the longest moment. Was it really that obvious? However, without knowing the fate of her first Chevalier, Saya was sure that she could not make any decisions, period. Hagi survived many things, even a bomb, what was the rubble of a balcony to him? Unless… unless someone interfered somehow. Nevertheless, there was not enough proof to even rule that Hagi was dead. She did not want to believe it, she could not believe it, and would not do so. But what if it was true? What if Hagi _did_ perish? Those wounds he received from Amshell were of no laughing matter, Chevalier or no…

"Jahana-san, I can only hope for the best now" she replied. "I have been with Hagi for so long now; I do not know whether it is possible for me to live on without him…"

The twins did not know what to say. Mainly due to the fact that they had no _inkling_ of whom Hagi was, and that Solomon was standing just behind them. They did not even know that he loved Saya at all. Nevertheless, they knew one thing for sure; the awakening of Saya unraveled many questions for them, questions they wanted answers for.


	7. Meetings

The flight to New York was long, but Saya enjoyed every moment of it. It was different than the last time she had been on a plane; they were discussing how to approach Diva and how to kill her and her Chevaliers. The twins, however, had something devious up their sleeves, and switched seats to the front of the coach, close to two traveling friends who were young, rich and definitely handsome. For the first time in their life, they were actually happy that they stopped aging at nineteen, as opposed to Saya and their mother, who stopped aging at sixteen. The end result was they looked more mature, and more womanly, with curves that made many men stare at them. "Where are you heading to, ladies?" asked one of the young men who introduced himself as William. Dina swore that he was so hot, he could be a model.

"Well, obviously we are going to New York" she said, smiling seductively as the flight attendant gave them their glasses of wine. "What we are going to do there appears to be of our own business, am I right, Kaya?" Kaya nodded, and took a sip of her wine slowly, every single movement perfectly calculated to get their attention.

The other, Adam, who showed more interest in Kaya then said, "Playing hard to get, are we?" Her sapphire eyes pierced his as they began their own conversation. It was not long before the twins found out that they were models heading the events of the upcoming Fashion Week, a fact that Nathan pointed out to Saya and Solomon. Saya smiled. They were exactly like Diva when the _laws of attraction_ came into play. Seductive, free and beautiful beyond belief, like the rays of the setting sun.

Kaya then chuckled softly. "We do not play hard to get, stranger" she said, inching dangerously close to the man who spoke to her. "We _are_ hard to get" The moment she pulled away from him, she drew back into her seat and took out her computer to get some writing done, for she was an aspiring author as well. Indeed, the twins intrigued the two men a lot, and they certainly wanted to find out more about them, what with all the teasing words and eye contact they gave them…

Solomon knew very well that Kai would have his head if he were there, being rather a strict conservative when it came to the raising of Kaya and Dina. However, it was not his fault that the young Chiropteran Queens were searching for potential mates, being healthy and unattached as they were. Saya giggled when he told her of his concerns, the most heavenly sound to his ears. He had never heard her emit any sound of joy after they had danced at Lycee in Vietnam three decades ago, when neither of them knew each others' identity. "He would never do such a thing" she said, looking at the twins as they exchanged numbers with their newfound would-be mates. Dina even went close to one of them and whispered something in his ear, her hands tracing small circles on his shoulder.

"And when he _does_ try to kill you I will have a talk with him" Nathan said. "They are young, they are healthy. We should let them seek out potential mates as all Queens do. It _is_ their responsibility, after all, especially in times of peace"

Peace… it was a very calming word to Saya. There were no more Chiroptera to kill, no more deranged twin sister to defeat… She could live as she wanted, and who she wanted to. She was also a Queen of the Chiroptera, and so, was it _her_ responsibility to reproduce as well? The only one who could mate with her was… She immediately blushed, and Solomon discreetly held her hand in his, away from Nathan's prying eyes. "Don't mind his words, Saya" he whispered. "He always speaks out of line" At that moment, once Nathan was back at his seat, immersed in a novel that he had brought along, he kissed her forehead lightly. Her flawless face then became even redder than it already was. "I think that it is time for me to check on the girls"

Just then, Kaya was on Adam's lap, listening to him whisper sweet nothings into her ear. No man had ever made the butterflies zip around like fighter jets in her stomach before. "I see that you girls are having fun" Solomon said. At once, Kaya stood up and straightened herself up, forgetting that her stiletto heel was on Adam's toe. She immediately apologized to him while glaring at her sister for not warning her of his arrival.

"Solomon Oji-san, what are you doing here?" she asked, pulling up the lapels of her jacket, hiding the love-bite Adam had caused not long ago. "Is there anything wrong with Oba-chan?" Dina tried hard to stifle her laughter, though not being as innocent as she looked. Just seconds before she saw Solomon leaving his seat, William had teasingly plunged his hand under her blouse. Luckily, her Chiropteran reflexes granted her enough speed to remove his hand and regain her composure.

"Just checking on the two of you, my dears" he said smiling, before returning to his seat. Oh yes, how he enjoyed seeing the shocked faces of his dearly beloved "nieces". Nathan was horrified. He had never seen such an evil side of Solomon before. But of course, it would be natural that Solomon would be protective of the twins as well for he was sort of an "uncle-figure" to them, and the only one they had. He grimaced at Saya, and said, "They are much worse than Diva, those two"

Nathan just _had_ to butt in. "You should not do that to them those poor children!" He said in a very dissatisfied tone. Saya looked at the direction of her nieces and found that they were absolutely embarrassed. They had retreated to their seats and sheepishly took sips of their wine, stealing glances at Adam and William every now and then. "But then again… those boys were getting out of hand…" Saya then smiled. It was the most interesting flight ever, but before long, the droning sounds of the moving aircraft then soon lulled her into sleep, leaning her head on Solomon's shoulder.

The twins then looked behind towards them and giggled among themselves, ending with a high-five. "Better enjoy the moment while it lasts, Solomon Oji-san!" They mouthed before moving to their new interests.


	8. Realization

"I'm dead beat!" Kaya exclaimed, flopping onto her bed in the suite she shared with her sister and Kaya. The long flight took much of her energy, what with the hot model Adam romancing her… They were at the Four Seasons New York, one of the best establishments they could find. "Must… sleep…"

Saya, who had already finished the room service she ordered, all three extra-large servings of them, then laughed. "I don't want to even imagine what you did with that guy on the plane" she said, remembering being rudely awakened by the sounds of a flight attendant banging on the lavatory door, with Kaya and Adam coming out together, trying to stifle their laughter. Dina, apparently the wiser of the two, however, managed to seal a double-date for the night at the most exclusive night club in New York with William and Adam, a date that Kaya would not pass. "It is really hard to imagine that the two of you did not do anything"

However, Kaya did not rebuke anything, either. She felt lucky of her Chiropteran blood, partly due to the fact that only by mating with _Dina's_ Chevalier would she be impregnated… "Well, one _must_ find some form of amusement when you are on a long-haul flight" she said, moving airily towards her suitcase to find her swimsuit. Dina was already ready to go for a swim, while Saya decided to do some people watching from the window. Once she came out the dressing room, she looked into the mirror and said, "Oh, I need to lose weight"

Saya raised an eyebrow. Both of them had washboard abs, and with derrieres that made Beyonce Knowles (hopefully she is still booty-licious at the time) jealous, having bikini-perfect bodies that came with their daily-workout routines, and perhaps their bloodline. "Is it even possible for you to get thinner?" she asked. Both of them shrugged. Even Saya, who hardly_does_ any exercise, has a stunning figure already, despite her seemingly young appearance. Perhaps it _was_ the genes, and nothing else, judging by her hugely generous appetite. "You girls go have fun"

Dina nodded, and shoved Kaya out the door. "Take care, now!" She said and closed the door behind her. Alone now, Saya walked towards the windowsill and began to partake in her favorite activity apart from running track and eating. It was not before long that she saw Dina's swim-goggles lying on the bedside table. _Ah, so, she is as careless as I am_, she mused to herself, and decided to take the goggles to her niece. The swimming pool was about three floors above their suite, and she took a left turn to the elevator, stopping before Solomon's suite when she heard the sounds of breaking glass, and Nathan's raised voice.

"You _didn't_ tell her _anything_!" he exclaimed at the top of his lungs. "If… If she knew, wouldn't that break her heart?" Inside the room, Solomon was not looking as if he was on top of the world. Casting his ice-blue eyes on the floor, he remained silent. Only a nod was enough to answer the older Chevalier. "Why did you keep the truth so long?"

The answer to that question was evident. "I did not want Saya fall into despair once again" Solomon said, his voice low, filled with disappointment with himself. With all his power and strength, he had not the courage to face the sadness that Saya's eyes would contain when he passed the news to her. It pained him to see her in such a state, it pained him greatly. "But how can I tell her that Hagi is dead without seeing her pain?"

Nathan put a sympathetic hand on Solomon's shoulder and said, "This is something that the both of you _must_ endure" Throughout his years as a Chevalier, and as a sentient living being, he knew, and believed that there was nothing that could not be overcome by the sheer strength of two burning hearts that called for one another. "If you are to realize your fate together"

Saya was devastated, no, more than devastated. The moment she heard those three words: _Hagi is dead_, it was as if her heart stopped beating. She did not know what to do, or what to say. How… when… where? Questions seared her brain, and tears began to flow from her soft brown eyes. She could not move, she could barely breathe… The news was enough to take her life…

Dina and Kaya, who were about to return to their suite to retrieve the former's swim-goggles, saw her there, as if she had been stunned, "Oba-chan, Oba-chan, are you alright?" Kaya asked frantically. Saya's complexion had paled many times over, and she was crying… "Dina, what's wrong with her?"

Her sister shook her head, and held Saya's hand. Before she could speak, Solomon opened the door, and saw them all standing there. "Saya!" he exclaimed, holding her in his arms. "Speak to me!" Once again, Saya slapped him the moment she broke free from him.

"Why… why… didn't you tell me?" she asked furiously. Solomon then looked into her eyes, and explained that he could not bear to see her in sadness again. Surprisingly, it was not hard for her to understand why he acted the way he did. She would do so too, if she had to break the news of someone's death to the ones she loved… "How…"

It was Nathan who answered. "A syringe filled with Diva's blood. Amshell had obtained it when she was asleep" He remembered it well, and narrated every moment of that last battle between Amshell and Hagi.

_After both of them managed to escape the rubble that fell atop them, Amshell was almost fully crystallized. However, he gathered the last of his strength and pierced the syringe filled with Diva's blood directly into Hagi's heart. It was not long before the stalwart Chevalier began to crystallize as well, and before long, both crumbled and fell into heaps of white and red stones.__Nathan had then managed to recover from his wounds, and found Solomon limping there._

"_How… how did you…?" he asked, running towards Solomon, who forced a weak smile._

"_Nii-san gave me an arm from the Corpse Corps" the younger Chevalier answered, "and injected a little of Diva's blood to stop the crystallization from continuing… Apparently, he has other ways of using her till the very end…" Both then decided that they would go their own separate ways, and not see each other again…_

However, Solomon stopped him silently from speaking further, knowing that Saya could not take it anymore. He was aware that her hatred for Amshell seared hotter than the fires of Hell. First, he convinced Joel to lock Diva up in that lone, empty tower, then, he took her sister as a test subject even as her Chevalier… Even killing Hagi with her blood taken without her notice…

Kaya and Dina had never seen Saya like this before, and they were afraid. Her brown eyes were now as red as rubies as she glared at both the Chevaliers. It was a long five seconds before she calmed herself down, and collapsed in Solomon's arms.

"She will need your blood when she wakes" Nathan said, and ushered the twins back into their suite. He certainly had a lot of explaining to do to the daughters of Diva, as they were not only bewildered, but shocked as well.


	9. Pain

Pain… Confusion… Sadness… Those were what Saya felt when she awoke on a soft goose-down bed. She felt Solomon's warm hands on hers, and also a sudden urge for blood, blood that he readily gave. "Forgive me" he said, stroking her raven hair. He wanted her to be free of pain, and was afraid of her reaction should he tell her the news of Hagi's death, all because of his love for her. "I selfishly denied your right to know of Hagi's death" He could feel her tears soaking through his clothes and onto his skin, and held her all the more tighter. Saya, once she had taken her fill of his blood, then leaned her head on his chest, silently crying in his embrace.

She had known Hagi ever since she could remember, and it was he who drove her through the many conflicts that fate forced upon them. Without him, she would have been lost. There was also a possibility that she would become as deranged as Diva was. But no matter how far she slipped away, Hagi was always there to bring her back… Now that he was dead, she suddenly felt as if her world would end then and there. But it did not. Things were different now. Dina and Kaya were still alive, and as long as they live, the Red Shield would be there to protect them. Solomon… was alive as well.

The past was gone now, and she knew that nothing in the world could bring Hagi back. And in her sadness, Solomon has offered his consolation, his empathy and his love… Truly, there was no real way to deny that his love for her was true. To her, the grief of Hagi's loss was still too near for her… She could not accept his love as of yet. Could she? It was ironic that his ice-blue eyes were so warm to her, and as she looked into them, he brushed off the stray tear that came from her eye with a smile. "Why do you still stand by me?" she asked him, once again, leaning against him. She… she needed his warmth, and his calming words…

He smiled, and said, "Because I live to see you smile again, I live to bring you to the realization of your dreams" Saya looked at him with more tears welled in her brown orbs, and he kissed her forehead. "I am your Chevalier as of now, and I will continue with Hagi's quest to propel you towards the future…" As their bodies succumbed to an unknown force that pulled their bodies to one another, a kiss soon ensued, much like the first one they shared in Okinawa. Intense, deep in passion it was, and Saya soon found herself leaning towards the bed, taking him above her. Their tongues then found one another, caressing, dueling, and even dancing between their mouths as they lost themselves to the fire that consumed them.

Solomon then left her sweet lips, and trailed her graceful neck with fluttering kisses that made her scream in her head. Was it during his days with Diva when he learnt to please a woman so well? Every single touch of his lips made her skin burn with desire, wanting more of him… But somehow, something inside her was not willing to cooperate. It told her that there would be another time of passion between them, but not now… The moment she reopened her eyes and looked at him, Solomon knew that she wanted to stop, and he gladly obliged. He would never take her against her will, or _any_ woman, for that matter.

He wrapped his arms around hers, and whispering words of comfort into her ear until sleep reached her once again. So beautiful was she to his eyes, but filled with so much pain and grief… _If only you had met Saya earlier, the world would have been much different_, he remembered Nathan saying those words when he was chained in an underground cellar in the former's American home. Nevertheless, he swore to himself that he would protect her, no matter what it took. "I love you" he said, kissing her brow before leaving her to open the door for the twins. Kaya and Dina were in desperate need of training in combat, not against humans, but other Chiropterans. They needed to learn to hide and mask their presence, lest the need arise.

"Solomon Oji-san, how is Oba-chan?" Dina asked, popping her head through the door. Nathan had just told everything about Saya and Diva to her and her sister that Kai and the Red Shield might have omitted, and she was shocked to find out how much Saya and her mother actually suffered. She felt that in a way, Diva was lucky to die, and Saya, lucky to live. She also understood now, why Kai did not mention Hagi's name even once, so that she and Kaya would not repeat the question of his survival to Saya when she wakes… to prevent her from the grief that would follow. "Is she alright?"

Solomon nodded. "She had just fallen asleep again after receiving some blood" Yet again, the twins' concern for others proved that they were extremely different from their mother, which made him very proud of them. However, their rather promiscuous behavior pulled all previous assumptions back, and the logic that came was that they were well-balanced individuals. He could not stop but thinking, if Diva was raised like them, in love and care, would she be like them as well?

Kaya then sighed. "Nathan told us _everything_" she said, looking at Saya as well. "Perhaps… perhaps we were too hard on Diva for what she did… I mean… What if that Amshell didn't lock her up in that awful tower?"

"Then we may not have the fortune of meeting one another" he replied. "Fate may be cruel, but we must move on. The past may cling to us, threaten to drive us to the brink of our limits, but we must still live on. Your mother and Saya are the best examples you have, my dears" The twins nodded, and left the room so that he could be alone with their aunt.

The moment the twins left, he suddenly found a familiar image forming on the mirror of the dresser, and went to inspect it. Standing right there, as if waiting for him to approach, was Diva, wearing that white dress hemmed with blue that she loved so much. "Solomon, you look pathetic!" she exclaimed in her child-like voice, laughing as she always did. "I have one last request for you: Take care of Onee-sama for me, will you?" Then as suddenly as her image appeared, it disappeared entirely. It was then when Solomon wondered whether what he saw was entirely real, or a figment of his imagination…


	10. Battle

"The Queens have left the castle" said the man following Dina and Kaya. He had never seen women so beautiful to his eyes. "Shall I continue to follow them, sir?" he asked the person on the other end of the line. They had two men beside them, arms in all inappropriate places. There was something wrong about the men… They seemed to be expecting something to come at them, as if there was a bomb threat in the city.

"You shall follow zem, and make zure zat zey do not notice you" his client answered. "I want zem unspoiled when ze mice are released" He was rolling a round candy wrapped in colorful foil. "Zey are important, and we must remove zem from ze Red Shield and ze Chevaliers so zey can realize zere full potential as full-fledged Queens"

Once the call ended, the twins went into another club with their men, where they hit the dance-floor. It had an Arabian-inspired theme, and Dina and Kaya felt like dancing after quite a few drinks. "Hey, we never really caught your last names" Adam asked Kaya as she moved her body in accordance to the vibrant, seductive music. She merely rolled her eyes, and tried to get his attention to her moves. When she and Dina had reached the age of twenty, they were called to the Red Shield headquarters, and were officially adopted into the Goldschmidt family, inheriting quite a fortune of from Joel VI as repayment for the hardship his ancestors caused all the Chiropteran Queens. Since then, men came in droves to seduce them to get their money. Men from all over the world, who only wanted the riches they came with.

"Well, let me see how well you dance, perhaps I will tell you…" she whispered, and began to belly-dance in true Arabian style. It was obvious that Adam loved what he was seeing. Not far from them were William and Dina, who were also dancing in sensual unison. The twins had learnt to belly-dance in the Middle East from a middle-aged woman who lost her husband to a younger, far more seductive woman, in hopes that _they_ would help her get her revenge, but they politely declined to do so. As far as they were concerned, marriage was still a far thought for them. Now, they wanted to have fun with all those around them, especially with Adam and William.

The observant William then said to Dina, "You know, I could not help but noticing that the man in the suit that came to check on you on the plane was Solomon Goldsmith. "Is he any relation to you?" Dina smiled and said that he was a family friend. She could not tell him the _entire_ truth, for who would believe it if she said that he was an immortal vampire-esque creature that protected her mother for six decades, trying to kill her aunt at the same time, and then fell in love with the same person he was supposed to kill?

"He secured our jobs as analysts of the main branch of Cinq Fleches, which we are very grateful of" she added. Of course, William was very, very surprised. How was it possible that they were analysts at such a young age, for the most powerful corporation on the face of the Earth? Could they be geniuses at some point of their lives? "It's just a summer-job anyways. We have to return to Oxford after Fashion Week for the next semester of our PhD" He was stunned, and she laughed out loud. "You seriously believed the Oxford part, didn't you?"

William nodded sheepishly, and for a moment, pondered at her words. "Well, you and your sister _are_ full of surprises", he said. As the music escalated in speed, the dance-floor seemed to be cleared of people, and soon, only Kaya and Dina were left. They took the opportunity to show of their talent in belly-dancing, shimmying their flat abdomens, gyrating their hips until everyone were caught in a trance just looking at them.

Just as they finished their final pose, everyone applauded, including William and Adam. The mood was one of glorified sensuality for the twins, until the most deafening roar was heard. A woman collapsed and her body began to shake as if she was possessed. Before long, her human skin tore apart, revealing a humanoid monster beneath it, with a long snout and thin tongue with claws sharp as daggers. Dina and Kaya had seen those of its kind before. It was one of the Chiroptera, their kin by blood. But where did it come from, and why was it there? Did the Red Shield not dispose of them after Diva's death?

Immediately, Kaya and Dina ran towards the coat of arms hung at the walls and took out any weapons they could use. Everyone then started to leave in panic, but not their beaus. "What are you doing here, get out!" Kaya shouted at them, but they took out their guns and pointed them at the Chiroptera.

"Sorry, honey, but we are trained professionals" William said, and fired a bullet at the Chiropteran's head. The creature raised its hand and caught the bullet before charging at him. Dina then jumped before him, and cut of its arm with the scimitar in her hand. "And I think you are too" The twins were not pleased _at all_. Who were they, exactly, and why was that damned beast even standing before them.

As Adam fired another bullet at its neck, Kaya then threw her daggers at its heart after coating the weapon with her blood. However nothing happened. "Dina, this… thing… is made with Diva's blood!" She exclaimed. That could only mean one thing, that both of them had to decapitate it in order to kill it, and were unable to take the easy way out. As further gunshots from the "models" came, the beast became more and more enraged, and was even able to break the mace she was holding.

"Dina… Kaya!" Saya's voice cried out of a sudden, and the twins looked at the doorway. There their aunt stood, with her katana already coated in her blood. "Get the Hell out of here!" Her ruby-red eyes pierced through the darkness as she rammed the weapon into the heart of the beast, giving the twins and their men a chance to escape. It was crystallized within seconds.

Solomon, who greeted them outside the establishment, then said, "We cannot talk here as of yet, come, we must return to the hotel" The twins nodded, and went into the limousine with Saya following soon after. He then turned to Adam and William as well. "The same goes for the two of you gentlemen"

In the car, Dina was the first to speak. "Solomon Oji-san, why is that Chiropteran even there?" she asked Solomon, eyes filled with confusion. He did not know the answer, and pondered on the query as well. He thought that, years ago, he had exhausted all sources of the Delta 67 substance in order to facilitate his recovery under the hands of Julia and the Red Shield. Moreover, there was _no one_ left who knew of the substance… unless… _he_ was already released from prison.

"The guy you are looking for is Van Argeno" Adam replied. Then, he took a gold badge and showed it to the three Chiropteran Queens as did William. "We are agents of the Red Shield, and we have been tracking his activities ever since his release from prison. Our Intelligence has told us that his men have tracked Dina and Kaya for days now. We were assigned by Joel VII to follow him, but we did not know that Dina and Kaya were the new Queens everyone was talking about"


	11. Revalation

Adam and William were agents of the Red Shield… Saya did not believe it, nor did Solomon and Nathan. They knew that even if the twins believed them, they would not have gained much leverage. Dina then said, "There must be something that you can prove your identity with…" Dina said to William, brown eyes looking into his emerald ones. Some way, somehow… she felt drawn towards him, and she wanted to give him a chance to prove that he was telling the truth. She also knew that Kaya felt the same way about Adam as well…

Adam spoke nothing, and get out a memory card that he put into Dina's laptop. "This video might set things straight" he said, and played the video. It was Joel the VI, his handsome features gone, replaced by a haggard one that showed his tiredness. "He… passed on a few months ago… Van Argeno killed him" That explained their hatred towards the French scientist.

_Saya, if you have seen this video, my nephews would have found your nieces, whom were adopted into the Goldschmidt family about a decade ago. No matter, we have pressing matters to attend to. Van Argeno has been released from prison, and now he has created a synthetic source of Delta 67 from his days as the researcher of Cinq Fleches. It is not known how active is he in trying to recreate the chaos we once known, but his aim is to capture Kaya and Dina to further in his experiments_…

"Perhaps… Amshell Nii-san has also influenced Van in his crazed efforts" Solomon sighed, looking at the twins. He would not allow it, knowing what madness would soon ensue if Van was to get what he wanted. But what could he possibly do with Chiroptera now? What governments would want them as weapons after what happened at the MET? They were not exactly lapdogs which they could pet and cuddle when they were not needed, and bite ferociously at enemies when they were. "Or, there is a possibility that he wants to meet his own goals… That alone, is a powerful force that drives all"

Kaya then asked, "Does he really believe that it is possible to succeed what that creep, Amshell can?" It was a very good question, a question that even Saya pondered. But how did he even get the Delta 67 substance to make the synthetic copies from? Unless… unless he infiltrated the Red Shield… She looked at the young agents, piercing their eyes for the answer she wanted. She _refused_ to let herself, or Dina, to be used like Diva had been. "What good can be gained out of it?"

"Nothing" Saya said, and she turned to Kaya and Dina. She wanted to kill them before, so that they would not be used as weapons of war as she and Diva had been. She once saw themselves as oddities of nature that _could_ not coexist with humans because of their own vampiristic characteristics, and their constant need for blood. "Look what happened to me in Vietnam, Kaya, Dina, because of the greed of the humans for glory and also _peace_, I killed even those who are innocent… Look at Diva; she is the result of the experimentation done on her while she was awake. This is why I tried to kill you… when you were born"

Kaya and Dina knew of _that_ fact, and they were grateful that Saya spared them. And now they understood why. If they could have chosen, they would choose death so that men like Van Argeno would not use them if he got his hands on them. "Oba-chan, I promise you… Kaya and I will _never_ be captured by that… person" Dina said, hugging Saya with her sister. "We will fight anything that stops us from getting the peace we deserve"

Peace… Saya thought that peace could be achieved when Diva was dead… Reality proved otherwise, but the twins, still held on to the fact that it would come one day. Kai had definitely taught them to look towards the future. _Live today to smile tomorrow_, Kai told her after he and Hagi convinced her to live on, _if you live to the fullest, while looking forward to tomorrow, everything_ will_ work out_. She smiled, and nodded her head.

"Saya, Adam and I will protect Dina and Kaya" William said. There was nothing but sincerity in his grey eyes, and she smiled at him. "No matter what it takes, we will uphold the honor of the Red Shield and the Goldschmidt clan" His words made the hearts of the twins go aflutter, and they smiled towards each other. _Now I know how Oba-chan feels when Solomon Oji-san says this kind of words to her_, Dina thought.

Nathan looked pleased. "Then how far are you willing to go to ensure what you promised happens?" he asked with a sly tone. Saya knew that he was implying at their willingness to become Chevaliers to the twins. It was a huge sacrifice, and it was unsure whether they would hold on to their words. Humans were often fickle creatures, but she had known enough humans who showed her that their race deserved to live on… Those like Joel VI, David, Julia, her adoptive father, George and Kai… _They_ fought to live. "It is possible to protect them forever, you know"

"Nathan…" Solomon said in a tone that showed his dissatisfaction. He was a man of patience, but even _he_ had his limits. It was too much to ask William and Adam to become the Chevaliers for Dina and Kaya… "Please consider your words before you speak them" They looked confused, and the twins just smiled at them, complete ignoring what Nathan tried to say. The ancient Chevalier skulked, and retreated to a corner where he was left to ponder on his actions, while listening to their further course of action.

"We will have to lay low for awhile" Saya said. "If we act otherwise, Mr. Argeno would expect a counterattack" However, Kaya disagreed.

"If we just sit here and do nothing, more people would be hurt…" she said, but Solomon put his hand on her shoulder, and gave her a reassuring smile. "We cannot allow him to do was his wont"

He nodded. "No, we cannot. But I know Van more than all of you do; he would be expecting similar results after one successful _experiment_, no pun intended. We shall wait for future opportunities, Kaya"

"We came here for the Fashion Week" Dina said to her sister in her usual, cheerful tone that both Nathan and Solomon found to be so much alike that of Diva's. "Then let us enjoy the Fashion Week. The first stop is Chanel, which I trust the both of you will be 'modeling' then?" As she said her words, she eyed Adam and William, answered with a yes, as per her expectations. She would not herself and her sunny disposition be affected by Van Argeno, or _anything_, for that matter. She was a Chiropteran Queen who was free, free to live as she would. If he tried anything, he would have to talk to her daggers and her spear.


	12. Reunion

Saya could not help but smiling at her nieces gawking at the beautiful clothes that Chanel had to offer. However, even with their statuses as heiresses of the Goldschmidt family, they could only obtain seats on the second row, with the first offered to celebrities, critics and what not. Seating notwithstanding, the three of them had a good time with Nathan. Where was Solomon? Being the busy businessman he was, he already retreated into his office in Cinq Fleches America, leaving the four of them to have a blast.

"Oba-chan, that would look heavenly on you" Kaya said, pointing at a pink number. The halter-top did wonders to accentuate the figure of a woman, while the skirt fell just above the knees. Not only was it subtly seductive, it also provided the best mobility to the wearer. She then flashed a sneaky smile to her sister, who was talking to one of the staff of the event when Saya was not watching. "Don't you agree?"

Saya was not sure… The outfit showed quite a lot of skin, and she did not think she could pull it off effectively. The fact that _she_ could not afford it was out of order, for if it was to be purchased, the twins could easily purchase it, due to the massive fortune they inherited from Joel VI as well as their jobs as the top analysts of Cinq Fleches. If they could not do it, she was sure that Solomon would do it… She just remained silent, looking at the model wearing it walk away from them.

"I want that pink number, whatever the cost" Dina said to the member of the staff she was talking to. Then, she gave him a name-card bearing Solomon's name. "My… employer wishes it as a gift for someone special. Do it discreetly, however" Solomon valued his privacy for various reasons. If the world knew that he could not age, it would cause many problems. Given that, he would have to name an heir soon, for he would be at least in his late fifties to the eyes of the humans. "Send it to his office, and it would be paid for"

_Girls, _Solomon had said the morning before, minutes before Saya woke. _When you get to the Chanel event, please take note of what Saya likes. I would pay for it at a later time_. He knew perfectly well that the two of them would not take his kindness for granted, but he was not above spoiling them with small gifts from time to time. The staff-member was actually hired by him, and _he_ took notice of what_ the _twins' eyed.

Once all the women had gone backstage, the men emerged. It was only then did Adam and William emerged. Perhaps it was the fact that they also carried lethal, deadly weapons as young agents of the Red Shield that made Dina and Kaya so attracted towards them, or the fact that they lived double lives, and like them, had tons of money which they could never hope to spend until their bank account reaches sub-zero. "I can see a future in which our little girls would bask in the sun with their fine young men" Nathan said to Saya, but much to his dismay, she had retreated into a corner of her mind, already calculating how she would retaliate at Van for even trying to harm her nieces. Unnoticed by all, even her eyes had turned red at the thought that he wanted to further his experiments on them...

"Oba-chan, are you alright?" Kaya asked, holding her aunt's hand. "Do you need to get back to the hotel?" Saya shook her head, and added that she fine, much to the relief of the young Queen. Her sapphire eyes were filled with concern, and at Saya's smile, she started to relax a bit. Towards the end, Saya indeed enjoyed the whole event with her young nieces, and she was thankful that Nathan and Solomon for bringing them here. Kaya and Dina both gave her more than enough reason to live on.

Two hours later, the three Chiropteran Queens, along with Nathan and the two models walked to the heart of Time's Square, a place which Saya hardly had a chance to visit the last time she was in the city. Solomon was already waiting for them there, with him, were three really familiar faces. "Kai… Mao… David!" Kaya exclaimed. The name "David" caught Saya's attention, but she saw a much younger man, with red hair and dark eyes. Was that… David and Julia's son? He was not even born when she had gone to her thirty-year sleep.

"Pleased to meet you" the new David said to Saya. "My father has spoken highly of you, Saya. It was his… wish to see you free and smiling as you are" Perhaps it was Julia's softer and more cultured side that this David inherited, for he was nothing like his gruff, tough-as-nails father. Saya smiled, and she looked towards Kai and Mao.

Kai however did not look pleased _at all_. "I heard that you were _attacked_'" he said, as though trying to hide his searing anger. He _knew_ that nothing good would come from that trip to New York, but before he could start blaming the whole world, his little girls were perfectly safe, and so was Saya. In fact, all three of them looked rather happy, even happier than they were before they left Okinawa. "How are you?"

"We're fine" Saya replied, eyeing Solomon, who was receiving quite the death-glare from her adoptive brother. "Why are you so worried anyways?" With those words, Mao merely nudged Kai away and said that they missed all of them. It was a rouse, so that they would discuss further matters when they reached somewhere in which they could talk without being eavesdropped upon, or looked upon by those around them as conspiracy buffs that had too much free time.

Solomon then smiled and said, "Do not worry, Kai, all three of them are safe and sound" If it was one man who could try his patience, it would be Kai, for his over-protectiveness of the twins, and also Saya. He knew that the man had still found it hard to trust him completely, being a former Chevalier of a former enemy. Saya and the twins loved him as a part of their family, and he would accept him without question, even if Kai does not. "You have my word"


	13. Confrontation

Van Argeno was not pleased at all to hear that not only the young Chiropteran Queens escaped his "mouse", but Saya was awake as well. Of all his planning, he had forgotten the once single variable that caused the annihilation of the very _source_ of the Delta 67 substance was still alive. She was a danger to the twins, as they carried the blood of Diva, the goddess of his dreams of world-recognition. Oh yes, it was he, who would turn the tables on them all, no matter who they were. He owed it all to Solomon, whom he had met in the remote French countryside. Indeed, the Chevaliers were perfect donors that brought him closer and closer to his destiny.

"When I reveal ze existence of ze Chiroptera to the world" He said to himself as he chewed on the round candy he loved so much. "I will claim ze Nobel Prize, and zey would be locked in test-labs until ze end of time!" Those dark nights spent in the jail famous for its worldwide high-security standards, those haunting memories of even looking at Diva… His sacrifices would be repaid. However, with all his ingenuity, he found that there was not a hint of the existence of the Delta 67 substance back at Cinq Fleches, and it took him long enough to find out that Solomon had took every trace of the precious substance to the Red Shield to aid in further research to recover from his own injuries. "Or, zey could be my gift to ze world… yes… with zere power, nothing shall stop me!"

His thoughts were then interrupted by his assistant, who said that there was a gentleman outside his office waiting for him. A gentleman with straw-blonde hair and eyes the color of ice… Without even thinking, Van told the assistant to bring him in. He needed to thank his benefactor, even if he did create nothing but _nuisances_ to him.

"It's good to see you again, Van" Solomon said with a ready smile. He came alone, Van noted, in the dead of the night when all were supposed to be sleeping. "You seem to be aging well enough" Those words carry real truth, for although thirty years had passed, Van Argeno still had the rigor and straightness of his own youth, despite already being nigh an octogenarian. After the pleasantries had been exchanged, seriousness then showed on the Chevalier's handsome features. Van Argeno had crossed the line by that attempt on the lives of Kaya and Dina, and he was there to express that if peace could not be kept, he would have to proclaim war.

Van smirked. "I did not know that you would seize Cinq Fleches back so easily, my friend" he said to Solomon, meeting his eyes with that of Solomon's. "Indeed, you have surprised me zat you would not retreat into ze shadows, all this while protecting Diva's precious children with one hand, and bringing zem into ze world of all humans with anuzzer… Surely, your abilities far exceed mine"

Solomon would not let Cinq Fleches rot, for not only it concerned the legacy of the Goldsmith family, but countless people would be jobless, and more would be left without pharmaceutical assistance that was why he chose to retrieve it from the US military. "Kaya and Dina have nothing to do with you, Van. Leave them alone" He would not risk unnecessary violence if need be, for he had seen more than the fair share of war throughout the years he had lived. The twins gave him more reason to live apart from Saya, for they were so different from, yet so alike Diva. Protecting them gave him the realization that he once served as Diva's Chevalier, and now, as Saya's, he would do the same to protect what remained of her family. "If this is to be continued, nothing awaits us but further pain and bloodshed. Let our kind have the peace we deserve, it is my only request for old times' sake"

However, the French scientist would not let down so easily. "Your precious zwins must be made to realize what gifts zey are to mankind, Solomon" he said. "Zey could end all war on our world, with zere great abilities. You are a smart man, zink! Zey 'ave ze ability to rise higher than all zere muzzers if you would entrust zem to me" If the twins were indeed put under his care, not only would he see for himself how powerful they actually were, but also he would have gained the most powerful weapons the world had to offer. Governments would come after him to retrieve them as super-weapons that they could breed.

"Indeed, Amshell Nii-san's folly has been passed to you" Solomon replied, friendly expressions now gone. "You know very well that no one would readily give the twins to you. As young as they are, they know the predicament they are in. Diva's children will _never_ give themselves to those who would use them for their own ends. They know what will befall them lest they fall into the hands of those like you, Van, and they will _fight to the finish_ against all who seek to use them" Scarlet rimmed the usual color of his eyes, and Van knew that the usually calm Chevalier was not pleased _at all_. As he turned to leave, he added. "I will say this only once, Van; this is your last chance to give up all attempts on disturbing _our_ peace. Mercy will come to you just this once"

Van merely snorted. "Zen, it is to be war between us?" he asked, giving his answer directly. "As always, my friend, you are zoo soft. I will zake your precious children by force if I 'ave too. Good day" As a last gesture of their already-faded friendship, he dispersed the security teams that he deployed to _see_ Solomon _off_, for he knew that it would be impossible to kill him with the mere use of firearms. The wish for peace has ever been the Chevalier's weakness, to Van's eyes. But, he could not be blamed, for he lived through the horror of WWI, and when he thought all war would end, WWII broke out… Indeed, he was the warrior who championed not only Saya, and those that she loved, but the always far-to-reach idea that was _peace_.


	14. Dreams

_Walking… only the footsteps of his shoes on the well-polished floors of the ship could be heard. His gun was fully loaded, his senses all turned towards one thing: to find where the intruder was. He was on familiar ground, the headquarters of the Red Shield where he had spent his childhood and his teenage-years with his cousin… Within seconds, he saw a familiar figure, and found Adam there, ready to shoot at him. "Yo, it's only me" he said, and Adam heaved a sigh of relief. After some deliberation, they decided to head to their uncle's office, to check on his safety. As they walked up to familiar path, they heard a voice of another man that they had never heard before… the voice of a French man who demanded something of Joel VI._

"_Where is eet?" the Frenchman asked Joel, his voice laced with a hint of desperation and also anger. "You know perfectly well zat Solomon Goldsmith brought eet to ze Red Shield, how else could 'e survive a wound caused by Saya's weapon?" Within the securely barricaded office, Joel smiled. He had lived long enough to carry on the Goldsmith line… his son… his son would be the perfect candidate to carry on the name "Joel Goldsmith VII". He was strong, far stronger than he was… The only regret in his life was that he could not live to see Saya one last time… "Why do you smile even at your zime of death?" _

"_The both of us as seen what Diva, or rather, Amshell Oji-san has caused, Mr. Argeno" Joel said, "Solomon-san came to us with the Delta 67 substances to put all differences between the Red Shield and those we claimed to be enemies. Unfortunately, we have exhausted most of the substance in the quest to restore him. What little more left is to be used should the new Queens need them" Van's eyes widened almost immediately when he heard the words _new queens_. How did Diva's children survive, and who raised them? So… they were protected by the Red Shield like Saya before them. Indeed. "And no… I am not afraid to tell you they survived the chaos their mother caused" Joel was confident that Van would be unable to reach them, for they were kept in much secrecy. _No one_ knew of their heritage, _no one

_Outside, William and Adam were waiting for Van to emerge, but he did not. What William remembered of that day was that Joel refused to give up the one sample of Delta 67 he kept with him at all times, and Van said nothing. Then he heard it… that awful gunshot that killed Joel VI, the dear uncle of his… The only one in the clan that ever looked at him with kind eyes… Van then stormed out with his bodyguard, who effectively knocked him and Adam out cold…_

"Uncle Joel!" William shouted, bolting up from the bed. He was covered in cold sweat, gasping for air. Dina, his beautiful angel, was also awake, and wrapped her white arms around him whilst pulling the sheets around her body to hide her modesty. "Have I scared you, Dina?"

She shook her head. "You carry a painful memory, William" she said, enjoying the feeling of his large hand stroking her shoulder-length raven hair. "I… couldn't even see Joel Otou-san one last time…" Tears fell from her chestnut eyes as she remembered the day of Joel VI's funeral. As their mother was the true source of the Delta 67, the whole Goldschmidt clan held a deep grudge against her and Kaya. They were banned from attending the funeral by everyone, and not even David Sr. David and Julia could help in their pleas. She didn't even know why his life ended… Despite all this, Joel VI stated clearly in his will that they were to inherit, at the least, _his_ share of the Goldschmidt fortune, which they did not really need. It was a fortune that the rest of the clan gave quite unwillingly, only done out of their legal responsibility.

William took her hand and kissed it. Despite such a having dealt such a great blow, she still remained strong and unchanged. The day he saw her on the plane, she did not strike him as the _monster_ his relatives had said of her. Although neither he nor Adam had the last name "Goldschmidt", being cousins through their respective mothers, they were still considered family, and were often kept close to Joel despite the scandals their parents done. "Dina, you and Kaya are _nothing_ like what those aunts and uncles said you were, I know it through experience" he said to her, and kissed her forehead lightly. They might have been together for only the past few days, but he felt as if he had known her all his life, having sworn to protect her and Kaya ever since he had joined the Red Shield with Adam. "I will protect you, my sweet angel"

He knew that if he wanted to prove it further, he would have to become her Chevalier. Of course, he caught what Nathan said perfectly a few nights prior, he had read everything in Joel's Diary. But would she grant him her blood? _If_ she did do so, would he be attracted to Kaya, like Solomon, whose heart was drawn towards Saya? "I know you would, William, but…" she was lost for words, because she was unsure of turning him into her Chevalier, as Kaya did Adam. They did not want them to face immortality with no need of sleep or food, alone for thirty years when they went into hibernation, only to see them for a few short years… But before she could speak again, he planted a kiss on her lips, leading her back to the bed as they continued their foray into the world of passion.

She loved him, she finally admitted to herself. She did not want anything to happen to him, and she knew very well that he felt the same as well. Was it her Chiropteran instincts kicking in, telling her to submit to his loving embrace, or was it truly love, the blind arrow of Cupid? For some reason, she felt herself drawn to him, upon their first meeting, even more so when she found out that he was one of her protectors from the Red Shield… If Adam was anything like him, she was sure her sister would feel as secure as she was now…


	15. Memories

"When we were little, my parents and Williams' started to have an eye over the vast family fortune" Adam said to Kaya as they sat in the lounge bar of the Four Seasons New York. He and his cousin, William had transferred there to better ensure the safety of the Chiropteran Queens. "The four of them then worked to put Uncle Joel out of the family business, as he was so involved with the activities of the Red Shield…" Things started to get ugly from there, as their parents were found guilty of embezzling the funds of the family, and were since disowned from the family. "Uncle Joel raised us as his own, giving us the best education and training of all forms of combat so that we would join the Red Shield"

Kaya nodded in interest, knowing that the Goldschmidt clan was not a clan which could stand without internal strife, given their monopoly on uranium, gold and copper… Given that, they wealth was even greater than that of the Goldsmiths', of which Solomon was now the patriarch. Too much money often made people unhappy, that was why she and Dina chose to remain with Kai instead, where life was much simpler. "He must have been like a father to you and William" she said, remembering how kindly Joel VI smiled on them at their first meeting. The rest of the Goldschmidt clan shunned them, for they were Diva's biological children, the children of she who caused so much pain for their clan… "Joel Otou-san adopted us even though many criticized him in doing so… because of Diva…"

Diva… It was because of Joel I's cruel experimentation on her that caused her madness and her folly. Adam felt responsible as a Goldschmidt to make right the wrongs his ancestor had done to her. He would repay that debt by protecting her daughter; that was why _he_ joined the Red Shield. "I think that it was not Diva's fault that Delta 67 exists" he said to Kaya, taking a sip of his Bloody Mary. "Wasn't it her Chevalier, Amshell, which conducted all those experiments on her?"

Kaya nodded. But still, her mother was not all that innocent. She was merciless, hell-bent on revenge upon all humans… Her sapphire eyes then looked into Adam's, and sighed. "There are too many 'what-ifs' when it comes to the story of the Chiropterans, aren't there?" She was not like Dina, who clung onto pain without complaint. She accepted her fate, and cast it all into memory, unwilling to make painful experiences a hindrance to her. Of all her mother's daughters, she was the most optimistic, and she was proud of it. "Nevertheless, everything happened for a reason… I just don't want to see what everyone else before us has seen before…"

Adam then wrapped an arm around her shoulder as she leaned her head on his. "Well, Kaya, this will be something we will have to work for" he said, secretly inhaling her scent of lavender and honey. With all her optimism, he knew that there were even a few things that could not be cleared even if they faced them with a smile. He was there to protect her, to carry out the mission the late Joel VI entrusted him with, and also the will of his own heart. How could he just stand there and watch Kaya and Dina suffer because of what they were? They deserved a life of freedom… And just for that reason, he would stand by her, whatever the cost.

Soon, when both of them had finished their drinks, they decided to go out of the hotel to experience some of the night-air, and Adam took Kaya to a spot were the view of the Hudson River was just stunning. "You know… I've been everywhere on the world, but this place… this city feels most like home outside of Okinawa" she said, tucking a lock of raven hair behind her ear. It was in this place, the MET, to the exact, that she was born, that all chaos her mother and Amshell caused had ended. "No matter how far Dina and I go, we will never stray from these two places"

Her sapphire eyes then looked towards a happy-looking couple in each other's embrace, stopping to kiss each other, and wondered whether she would have the chance to be like them. Ever since she started dating, all the men in her life were either after her money, or went running away the moment they knew that she needed blood transfusions ever so often and that her wounds would heal no matter how serious. Adam was the only one who seemed unafraid of whom she was, regardless of species. "Thank you… for everything" she said, trying to hide the stray tear that already fell onto her cheek. "I'm lucky to have met you on the flight here…"

Not knowing what to do, or what to say, he held her in his arms as tight as he could. "Kaya, I'll be here for you" he said, "No matter what it takes…" With all his heart and his soul, he kissed her the moment their lips touched, taking her by surprise. Before long, she began to respond to his kisses, taking comfort in the passion they shared. If this was the true side of Adam, then she found herself slowly falling towards him. He was her knight in shining armor, her savior in the time of darkness, even if it was only just a few days since she had met him… "I will protect you"

Although the entire Red Shield now functioned to protect her and her sister, Kaya felt that those words coming from Adam were far sweeter, and meant much more to her heart. She nodded, and remained there in his loving embrace, until small drops of rain came pattering onto their heads. He took her hand and they ran for shelter in the form of the eaves of a 24-hour coffee-house, where they met Nathan.

"Ara, I didn't expect to see you lovebirds right here" he teased, enjoying the sight of Kaya blushing. Diva _never_ blushed in her life, _ever_.

"Shut up, Nathan" Kaya shot back, "What are you doing here anyways, don't you have to… produce some new operas?" She had learnt from Solomon that he was a famous opera-producer for the past century, an industry-secret kept from the rest of the world. Despite the fact that her grandmother's Chevalier _tried_ to look hurt, she still would not let down, and he knew quite well that she would not.

"Don't be mean, Kaya. Didn't anyone teach you to respect your elders?" he replied and left the joint to give her and Adam some time alone. "Perhaps, I will become a museum curator from now on"


	16. Trust

The moment Kai found that both Kaya and Dina were not in the suite they were supposed to be in, he went on a frantic search for them, only to be stopped by Mao and Saya. "Kai let them have their freedom to do what they want" Mao said. "It's not like they find men who actually understand them every day of their lives" She was often exasperated by her husband's over protectiveness over the twins, feeling that they were long since their "little girls" who needed their constant care and protection. Saya could not help but laugh at his antics, siding with Mao that the twins should have more free rein.

"Now you know why Kaya and Dina often come to me for help, Saya" Solomon said, appearing in the living-room of the suite out of a sudden. The smile on his face was enough to charm any woman who went as close as two miles to him. He would have not needed to play the part of the "rich, doting uncle" for the twins if Kai did not refuse to let loose once in a while, despite the latter's best intentions. Saya smiled, and asked where he had been the previous night. His answer was a grim one, one that he knew he could not hide from _anyone_ this time. "Van has declared that he would capture our young Queens to produce them as super-weapons for the world. He will take them by force if we refuse to surrender them"

Kai's eyes widened. He would not want anything that happened to Saya and Diva repeat itself onto the twins, not on his dead body. "What do you mean _by force_?" he asked, there was _nothing_ that Van could use against them… unless… unless he had gained the Delta 67 substance… "He's going to create more Chiropterans against us, isn't he? He's repeating everything again!" Damn it, when can _anyone_ give up on using Chiropterans as weapons? Solomon nodded, and stated that an attack would come anytime soon. "Where are Kaya and Dina? They have to know that their safety is the most important now!"

The door opened, and in the twins came with Adam and William. "That's why we hardly left the building" Dina said, greeting everybody. They were three hallways away from the suite, and yet their absence was causing Kai to become a nervous wreck. "Kai, we understand the circumstances, but you can't keep us cooped up like pigeons forever" She and Kaya would not willingly give themselves up for a blind cause, if anything, they_knew perfectly_ the fate of their mother and Saya that had been used as weapons for both sides, raised in love or not.

"If that Argeno person wishes to attack us; then let them come" Kaya added, "We have no reason to fear him…" He was just another deranged scientist, right? A deranged scientist who once oversaw the procedures of creating humans into Chiropterans using her mother's DNA, and who could do it again by using a synthetic source. "We would be able to stop him, right Oba-chan?"

Saya did not know how to answer her niece. Never in her life would she want them to face this day, but they had to. With great power comes with great responsibilities… She had forgotten who said those words, or when she heard them, but she knew that it was _their_ responsibility to repel every attempt on their lives to ensure peace for the humans, and their _kind_…. "We must" she said, looking towards Kai and Solomon. "If we are to survive in this world in _peace_, we must…"

Solomon smiled and held her hand in his. That gesture alone was enough to give her the courage she needed. He was… different from Hagi, who would rather help her from the shadows, guiding her indirectly. Solomon, he would take her hand as he did seconds ago, and lead her into the light if she would only wish it. He was selfless, willing to give all to protect all that _she_loved, while he wanted_everything_ there was to her… And he knew perfectly well where she would stand should war break out between them and Van. "I will go wherever you go, Saya. Your wishes are mine as well" he said. However, when he turned to Kaya and Dina, he knew that there was one thing all too true about them. They needed to learn how to fight against their own kind, should Van continue to make use of Chiropterans. "Kaya, Dina, you will come with me if you have time to spare. If we are to face Van's artificial Chiropterans indeed, your lack of experience would be a hindrance to _all of us_"

Kaya and Dina nodded. Everyone in front of them had faced the same enemies long before they were born, and they trusted them well. Indeed, it _was_ a fact that they were rather inexperienced, not in combat, but as Solomon said, against the Chiropterans. It was known that severe decapitation could destroy them, and if the artificial ones they were fighting were created by their mother's DNA, _severe decapitation_ was what they had to do. "Then it will be you, Solomon Oji-san, who will commence on our training?" Dina asked after a long silence.

"Of course, Dina" he answered, to Kai's surprise. "Though I will not be alone, I am sure that Saya would be glad to help you both" To those words, Saya nodded. It was the only thing she could do for them as their aunt, and _that_ he knew very well. "Nathan as well, would be glad to assist you as he can, since he personally said that he exists for this purpose only" He then looked towards Kai, and said, "Kai-san, you have trusted me with the twins for so long, will you trust me this once more?"

All eyes then turned to Kai. He had _never_ trusted Solomon in his _life_, for being one of Diva's Chevaliers. But the twins made him realize that there was a different side of him, and Saya… _never_ in his life would he know that Solomon actually _loved_her. He, like many others, including Saya herself, had thought that his words were only ploys to bring her to Diva's side in the past. But the ages proved all of them wrong. Even Saya began to warm up to him. Kaya and Dina never once doubted him… perhaps it _was_ high time he put some faith into the blonde Chevalier. Reluctantly, he said, "As long as the girls are safe…"

"I am glad that we can achieve a level of understanding, Kai-san" Solomon replied with a gracious bow of thanks, true to his gentlemanly upbringing that could not change _ever_.


	17. Training

Taking her glaive in her hand, Kaya leapt towards Nathan, who was in his full Chiropteran form, and thrust the weapon at him, only to have him dodge her attack with the blades of his extremely long limbs. "Good, but try not to aim for the _strongest_ part of your enemy, Kaya" he said to her, picking up the weapon and returning it to her. She caught it, and leapt into the air, landing behind him, aiming for his neck, or rather, what appeared to be his neck, while he was still trying to find where she was. Luckily for him, he was able to stop the blade in time before it beheaded him. "You catch on quite fast"

"Well, I've had _brilliant_ teachers" she replied, and went to get a drink of water, while she watched Dina back away from Solomon, who was soaring high above her. Her twin took out a dagger from her pouch, and threw it directly at his heart, which he easily caught in his talons, and threw it back to her. Dina then reached for her other weapon, a large scythe that Kai had given to her, in memory of Moses, leader of the Schiff. With the weapon, she leapt up attacked him once again, managing to deliver the slightest cut on his foreleg, a huge progression by one who had just barely faced a Chiropteran before, much less a Chevalier.

Both of them were highly adaptable, fast learners in situations where one mistake could mean their death. Indeed, they showed more and more qualities that would name them as the alpha-females of their kind. As Kaya and Dina gave each other a high-five, Nathan said to Solomon, "They are getting better by the second. I swear to you, even Diva took a much longer time to even learn how to hold a sword"

Solomon agreed fully with Nathan. "They have learnt how to handle weapons a long time ago" he said as the twins started to spar. "Guns, swords, spears… you name it. I personally oversaw their training, but I omitted combat among Chiropterans because I thought that they need not to fight anymore" He had thought that the two of them would only know happiness, but for the folly of Van, they had to take up arms for real… They did nothing to deserve what they were going through at the moment, but could they have found love in the form of William and Adam then?

"Oba-chan, how did you learn how to fight?" Dina asked Saya, who had been watching them from the observation booth two stories above them. They were in an old factory which the people in the nearby neighborhoods thought was haunted, an excellent place to train Dina and Kaya, where the ceiling was high enough for Solomon to literally spread his wings and for them to gain enough height to bring him down. Her aunt had just descended the stairs to join them, and found it hard to answer Dina's question, for she learnt through experience, which meant she killed many, many Chiropterans to reach where she was at the moment. However, Dina expected as much, when she was told the answer. "That was a stupid question, wasn't it?"

Kaya nodded. "Duh, you don't exactly find a school or whatever for Chiropterans to kill Chiropterans, right?" she added. Only Dina laughed with her, because _that_ was not even supposed to be a reality. No one blamed them, for what they knew of their own kind was only bloodshed and more bloodshed. Nathan shook his head, disapproving of the insight they had.

_I will fight so that no more children will think like them_, Saya swore to herself, _If_ they were indeed more children to come. Kaya then quickly apologized, and she was forgiven just as quickly. Soon, they continued their training, with Saya joining in ever so often, adding the element of surprise when she interchanged ranks to add more challenge to the twins, laughing when both Kaya and Dina missed Nathan's attack and bumped into one another.

"We would have to work on their coordination" Solomon said to Saya. "They would be an invincible team, with their abilities" Before he could continue, Adam and William came into the factory and reported that there was another Chiropteran attack not far from their current location. Immediately, all of them went with the two young Red Shield agents, where they found a large Chiropteran trying to kill a young boy. Kaya and Dina looked at one another, and went in for the kill, followed by their beaus, who were stopped by Solomon. "Let them apply what they had learnt"

Without hesitation, Kaya stabbed the beast with her glaive where its spinal cord would begin, rendering it immobile, while Dina blinded it using two daggers that she threw directly into each eye. "We cannot let them face that _thing_ all by themselves!" William argued, but fell into silence when Kaya dragged her weapon down, splitting the beast in half, its blood splashed onto her clothes and Dina's. Dina then swung her scythe horizontally, cutting the Chiropteran into four separate pieces.

Adam too, could not believe his eyes. "What… are they?" he asked himself as he looked into Kaya's sapphire eyes, which were glowing in a feral blue light that chilled his blood to no end. Never in his life had he seen such skill, such power… and Solomon deemed that they still lacked in experience? How was it even possible?

"Chiropteran Queens" Nathan said blankly. "They will be much more powerful when they receive sufficient training" He then turned towards William and Adam. "Are you afraid of them now, after seeing how they fight?"

William shook his head, as did Adam. William knew that the twins were watching them intently, eager to hear their answer. "No", was his answer. "They are what they are, no one can change it. I swear to God and all things holy that I would go to Hell to protect them"

"As will I" Adam said, taking Kaya's hand in his. "I will honor this promise to Uncle Joel and to you". However, that brief moment of happiness for the twins was soon interrupted by the sound of a gunshot. Soon, they were surrounded by men in Kevlar and powerful guns and other firearms.

"Forgive me for putting an end to zis sentimental gazering" said a very familiar voice. "But I shall be zaking ze young Queens now. Resistance will be futile, trust me"


	18. Chevalier

"We are not going anywhere" Dina spat, looking at Van with her eyes that were already aglow in a scarlet light much like Saya's. She raised her scythe, ready to attack if she had the chance. In no way would she give herself up to some scientist to be studied and experimented on, only to be used as a weapon of war. She would rather die under Saya's katana like she had planned so long ago than to see such a fate. "Like it or not, we will not be guinea pigs for you, or anyone else!"

"Now, now, ma cherie, I will 'elp you zoo realize what magnificent power you 'ave" Van said casually as more guns were pointed towards them. "You and your sister are anomalies of zis world, but eef we 'arness zose powers of yours, we shall build a world far greater zan what your muzzer's Chevaliers envisioned" He wanted to them to see further than the dogmatic, one-sided view all those around gave them, and was particularly disappointed at Solomon from shielding them from their true _potential_.

Saya then said, "This world would be better without men like you and Amshell!" She had _enough_ of it. It was their fascination of the Chiropterans, their own selfish desires that brought such chaos to the world before. Amshell... if Amshell did not convince Joel to isolate Diva as a control experiment, she would not have tried to kill all humans. She could have a life just like _hers_… She would not allow Diva's daughters to suffer the same fate, even if it means she would lose control of her own self again, she would protect them. "Leave us alone!"

Before she could attack him, Solomon took her hand in his, snapping her out of the rage that had been building up inside of her. His blade-arm had appeared, and Van could see that he was not at all _welcome_ there. Nevertheless, he would not leave without the young Queens, for he knew that they would be further poisoned against him with more words of hope that peace would come if he was defeated. "Van, get your men out of here before it is too late" Solomon said, looking into the violet eyes of his old friend. He did not want to harm Van, but if he continued to jeopardize the peace that the twins and Saya deserved, he would have to use force if he needed.

"I see… well, I should be leaving now" Van said with a sly smile at the corner of his mouth. "But what shall you do with zem?" He then pressed the button on a remote control, and immediately, all the men he brought along with him began to release deafening roars, their skin ripping apart to reveal Chiropterans underneath them. How he managed to engineer artificial Chiropterans that could transform so fast and at will was above all of them, but there was one thing to be certain, they would have to face at least twenty of them.

Adam and William began to shoot at them, aiming at their hearts, only to have their bullets stopped by the long talons of the beasts. At that moment, they heard a very familiar voice, the voice of David Jr., there friend and comrade for years. "Adam, William, catch!" he shouted, and threw two firearms to them, which had definitely more firepower than their own pistols. Kaya then smiled, as she beheaded a Chiropteran that could not stop trying to bite off her long, toned legs.

"There you are, David!" she exclaimed, "Aren't you giving the meaning for _fashionably late?_" Then, she sensed something unnatural, a blast of force that she could not see… Then, she saw a trail on the ground form, like one of a great boulder rolling towards their enemies… That was coming towards them as well, or rather, the Chiropterans they were fighting off. Whatever that… thing hit, was left literally torn into pieces, and Kaya did not need telling that it was her mother's former Chevalier who caused such a thing.

Not far from them, Saya was fighting back-to-back with Nathan, who had shed his human form, like Solomon. She drove her katana deep into the heart of one Chiropteran, only to find out that the grooves on her weapon no longer held her blood. Taking it out again, she cut her finger and made sure that her blood ran through her weapon before she killed the beast. "Our friend Van outdid himself this time" Nathan said, slashing another one into four pieces with his long, bladed arms. "They're even better than the ones _we_ engineered"

"Don't remind me" Saya answered, as she leapt to kill yet another one. Twenty Chiropterans between eight people were still too much to handle, especially if five among them were either humans or inexperienced Queens. As the one before her fell flat on the ground, she heard the twins scream the names of the men whom they came to love. The moment she turned to inspect what had happened, and to her shock, she saw Adam and William in a bloody heap…

It was clear what happened to the two young Red Shield agents, they had shielded themselves to prevent Kaya and Dina from being slashed by the talons of the looming Chiropteran that tried to attack them from behind, forgetting that their wounds would heal themselves… But they had no time to tend to them, and all continued to fight, while keeping close eyes on the fallen young men.

Several blasts of sonic blasts from Solomon, and an awful lot of blood spilled later, all the enemy Chiropterans fell dead. The whole battle seemed like an eternity, stretching on forever… Dina and Kaya immediately dropped their weapons and ran to William and Adam, with tears in their eyes. The men were murmuring their names, Adam even going so far as to caress Kaya's face. "Tears don't suit you, Kaya" he said, sweeping the pearl-like droplets on her cheek with his thumb.

Not far away from them, Dina scolded William for being an idiot, for no wound would harm her and her sister… History was repeating itself to Saya's eyes. Hagi fell down the face of a cliff to retrieve a rare lily for her to be given to Joel I, while Riku, the twins' father, had almost all his blood drained by Diva… Were the Chevaliers all born only if some cataclysm happened to them? She thrust her katana into the ground and knelt down, trying to keep away the fear and pain she felt all those times when she made those she loved her Chevaliers.

"There is one way to save them" Nathan said to Dina and Kaya softly, offering them one of Kaya's daggers that had fallen onto the ground earlier. They knew what he meant very well, and they looked at David Jr., who seemed to have no inkling of how they could be saved. "All Chevaliers had defied death because they consumed the blood of their Queens"

Solomon put an arm around Saya as they watched Kaya and Dina look at one another, unsure of what to do. A life without need for sleep or food was only trivial to the darkness one might face, and the pain of seeing the mortal ones whom they loved die one by one… He remembered well that pain when his parents had died… Dina then snatched up the dagger and cut her hand for her blood to flow forth, and so did her sister. Within seconds, enough came for them to drink, and pass to Adam and William.

"Hold them, my dears" Solomon said, knowing that once their blood had entered the body, the young men would writhe in pain. Saya looked away, as she had always did, and felt only his warm hand that further shielded her from the screams of Adam and William the moment they opened their eyes. The twins held on to them with much fear and uncertainty, tears continuing to fall from their eyes as the men they loved began to turn and scream. To their further shock, their hearts stopped beating, only to continue moments later.

"Dina… Dina, what happened?" William then asked, feeling as though he had fallen off the Grand Canyon only to find that the ground beneath as a trampoline that launched him back into the skies. "Shouldn't I be dead?" Adam asked the same of Kaya, and when they looked at each other, and the blood that was around them, with the addition of David Jr's shock, they reached the final conclusion. They… were _Chevaliers_.


	19. Flight

As William stretched his wings, he was not really sure of what to do. He was a Chevalier now, and not to mention having a day job as a Red Shield agent going as an undercover model that has a mountain of work for the remainder of the New York Fashion Week. At that precise moment, he was on top of a skyscraper, contemplating whether or not to jump off to see _if_ he could really fly. Solomon seemed to have no problem with it, and he certainly was not averse to heights when he was still human… "What are you waiting for, William?" Solomon asked in his usual tone, flapping his wings lazily, as if flying was second nature to him.

"Damn it, Solomon, I've only started being a Chevalier _three days ago_, not _centuries ago_" William scowled. Quite contrary to the older Chevalier, he looked like a human through and through, albeit the fact that his left hand had sharp, long talons, while he could project balls of fire from his seemingly humanoid right hand, without forgetting that he now had bat-like wings which had a span of at least two meters. "How did _you_ get the hang of flying, anyways?"

Solomon grimaced. The memory of Amshell pushing him off the tallest mountain in the French Alps came to mind. That fateful day, Amshell took the liberty of reminding him that young eagles were taught to fly in that manner. He was not sure whether it was sound advice, or for the purpose of humoring Diva, who was with them at the moment. William needed not to know _that_ part, but a good, old nudge was in store. Moreover, he would not be killed even if he fails to manage to fly, for they were not _that_ high up, and Nathan and Adam were right below them if _anything _happened. "You do not want to know, trust me" he said, but at William's constant pestering, he had no choice but to say, "You asked for it", and pushed him down.

William cursed. He was practically waiting for that instant when he feels the concrete ground against his body, but then, he remembered a very important theory from the movie _the Matrix_… _Open your mind_. He was _not_ going to crash onto ground, now, he was going to fly up there and _kill_ Solomon for pushing him down! The moment his wings opened, he no longer felt himself plummeting downwards, but instead, gained control just seconds before his head touched the ground. Finally, things were going _his_ way! Outstretching his wings, he changed his direction and flew higher and higher… until he hit the air-conditioning unit of an apartment, and landed flat on his back.

"Real smooth" Adam said, looking at his cousin. William coughed as Nathan burst into a fit of uncontrollable laughter. Adam felt lucky that _he_ did not grow wings, or, he would undergo the same torture William went through. The impact could have killed a human, and he was curious about how his cousin fared, and the moment the poor soul had returned to his human form, Adam asked, "Can you stand?"

William got on his own to feet and scowled. "No, I can't" he answered in a voice overflowing with sarcasm. Within seconds, he went on a rollercoaster ride that sent him from feeling utter hopelessness, to rage, and to ultimate pain. Now, just moments after the impact of his fall, he no longer felt any trace of pain, _at all_. Solomon then landed lightly on his feet, already in his human shape, and was smiling as he always did. William, however, was not pleased at the older Chevalier, and from the light of his eyes, Solomon could tell that he wanted to kill him. "Please tell me why the hell did you push me down?"

"You asked how _I_ learnt how to fly, if memory serves" Solomon replied casually. "And lucky for you, we are _nowhere near_ the French Alps" Oh yes, he could remember tumbling down… down… down… just for his body to crash onto the vast vineyards below. But before anything could happen to him, he instinctively opened his wings, and took to flight almost immediately. He remembered the look of amazement of Diva's face, and the pride Amshell's eyes contained when he flew back to the spot where Amshell had pushed him off… _Never_ had he imagined that he would have the opportunity to pass this similar experience to another generation of Chevaliers, those of _Diva's children_, no less.

William then looked up to the moon and asked Solomon, "Have you ever felt that you could reach the moon?" As a child, he used to wonder whether the birds that soared freely in the sky, were able to touch it. Now that he had the chance to fly, he let an air-conditioning unit get through him… _There is a start for _everything_, I guess_, William thought, and forgave Solomon's sneaky tactics.

Solomon did not answer, but he looked towards the silver disc with his ice-blue eyes. It seemed to him that the only thing that could _never_ change was the moon. It would always be there, in times of war, or peace… It would forever grace the skies with its presence, no matter what chaos ravaged the Earth. During winter in the North Pole, some places would even for three months without _ever_ seeing the mighty face of the sun, but the moon would always shine true there… It was one of the wonders that he wanted _Saya_ to see with him.

Adam then pat the back of his cousin, and asked, "Want to try again, maybe I'll be the one to push you down _this_ time" William nodded enthusiastically, and they raced each other up the closest building after beating the security guard unconscious.

"They are taking their new lives better than I expected" Nathan said, looking at the two shadows that were now on the roof. "Compared to the both of us, I'd say that they are _luckier_, having each other to share the burdens of being Chevaliers than _someone else_"

The other Chevalier knew who was he talking about, _Hagi. _He was rather solitary, preferring to work alone. Even to the Red Shield, he would only surface when Saya was awake. But there was another reason as to why Adam and William were luckier than they were… They were _free_ in the truest sense of the word, without _anyone_ to manipulate them… Besides, when Kaya and Dina go into hibernation, they would have each other, just like him and his _brothers._ "Yes, they are" he replied before taking to flight once again to join William, who finally managed to get airborne.


	20. Love

The night had been still, and the sea seemed to have a calming effect on Saya. The New York Fashion Week had ended, and the Red Shield welcomed her, her nieces and the Chevaliers onto their base, which was still a very majestic ship. She remembered looking at Joel VII, who was nothing like his father. This man was cold and calculating, at no chance warm and seemingly caring like Joel VI was. He was a man of little words, even towards Dina and Kaya, who were his adopted sisters. "Richard(Joel VII) _never_ agreed with Joel on the adoption of Kaya and Dina" David Sr. said to her. "He wanted an end to the Red Shield, but Julia, Lewis and I would have nothing of it. Even Solomon has added to our leverage"

Saya then looked at David Sr., and found that he still had his usual gruff exterior. "Thank you for everything" she said, with a light smile. "Without you, Dina and Kaya would not be so protected. Perhaps that Van would have had his hands on them already…" It has been long since she had met him, and it was indeed a very joyous surprise for her. "But how did your son get into all of this?" It seemed to her that David Jr. was very familiar with William and Adam, as shown when they were attacked in the abandoned factory back in New York.

"After you went into hibernation, there was still a lot of work to do to ensure that the Chiropteran population was neutralized, so Julia and I had no choice but to bring him along" Saya then learnt that there were a lot of other children like David Jr., Adam and William that grew up onboard the Red Shield Headquarters. They were all given the best education and training, while their parents worked for a future where peace between humans and Chiropterans could be realized. "He grew close to Kaya and Dina, and they went on from there" His turquoise eyes then looked into her soft brown ones. "And… my condolences, on Hagi's… _confirmed_ death. I knew that this news would have brought you much sadness"

Saya then looked towards the seas. "The girls had been a great help" she said, "Solomon as well… He offered a lot of comfort to me" It was Solomon who delivered her from the very brink of despair with his warm smile and his love. No matter how hard she tried to deny it, she found herself falling deeper, and deeper, for her sister's former Chevalier. To her surprise, David Sr.'s facial expression changed when Solomon's name was mentioned.

"Without Solomon, the Red Shield might have been disbanded once more" he said. He knew that Saya would have many questions to be asked, and he answered one by one. "The main branch of the family went to Joel VI, asking him to kill Kaya and Dina, to end all Chiropterans forever. But Joel persisted, and out of a sudden, Solomon appeared. He swore that the girls would prove no harm to anyone, and if they did, he would willingly consume your blood when you are awake. He even went as far as to funding the Red Shield when the main family refused to"

His words explained _everything_ to Saya. That was why Solomon trained her nieces personally, why they spent most of their lives sheltered in Okinawa, and yet they were raised in such a way that the fate of Diva, the Red Shield and the Chiropterans were no secret to them. But why would he risk death, to prove that the twins were nothing like their mother? Surely, they were out of his concern, because he was no longer Diva's Chevalier… Then at that instant, she remembered the words he once said: _They are your family, and you should love them. I too, shall gladly accept them_.

Thirty years ago, he was there when Solomon told Saya that he loved her, right there, on Christina Island, after James was presumably dead and Diva had left. Of course, he, like Saya, and almost everyone had thought those words as psychological tools to be used against them. "He has done nothing but to promote peace between our two species. He trusted us, the Red Shield, enough to care for Kaya and Dina under the pain of death" he said. "We… have wrongly suspected him those years back." Saya nodded, and she felt a twinge of guilt in her gut.

Then, when the Chevalier appeared, David Sr. took his leave, and Saya said to him, "David told me _everything_… You didn't have to do anything like _that_ to prove that Kaya and Dina would not be anything like Diva" But he smiled, and took her hand, leading it towards his heart. Again, she found it to be beating steady, calming her that he was not lying in any way.

"The Goldschmidt clan would not have believed anything if I acted otherwise, Saya" he said, "I did it all to protect those that you love. Kaya and Dina are the only remnants of your biological family; moreover, they deserve to live… As their mother's former Chevalier as well, I _refuse_ to see them dead at the hands of those who caused Diva and you so much pain as well" Saya hugged him to his surprise, and held her tight in his arms. "I live for your happiness, Saya" he whispered, and kissed her.

She could not deny it any longer, she did not _want_ to… If Hagi still remained in her thoughts, then so be it. This man… Solomon… risked it all countless times for her. He showed her that she was more than an anomaly of nature… She loved him, and when she repeated those words to him, joy beyond the ability of description appeared on his handsome face. "I'm sorry… to make you wait for so long" she said after another kiss that threatened to burn them alive, but he did not care.

"You have made me the happiest man _alive_" Solomon replied, and twirled her around. The coming war would wait, the world… could wait. Not far from them, Kaya and Dina watched their aunt and "uncle" with gleeful eyes. Finally, Solomon had acquired what he sought for all his immortal life, and Saya had found happiness in _him_.


	21. Tension

Joel VII did not like the company he had in his boardroom at all. First there was Saya, the one who _caused_ all the chaos and sadness his clan had to suffer, followed her nieces, Kaya and Dina, the _children_ of the demon that Saya had set free, without forgetting Solomon and Nathan, who were, to his knowledge, the Chevaliers of Diva. The two Davids, David Sr. and David Jr. were there as well, along with Adam, and also William. They held the meeting to discuss their retaliation on Van Argeno, who once again, engineered artificial Chiroptera, for his own use, a meeting which he would not rather attend, if not for his namesake and position as leader of the Red Shield.

"Anyone who knows Van well will know that he will stop at nothing to get what he wants" Solomon said, looking towards Julia. Although he had not came to meet with the intelligent human female, but from what he gathered from the twins, she was a brilliant scientist, and had graduated from the same university as Van did. "He has _tried_ to capture Kaya and Dina by force, and has failed, even after I tried to negotiate with him-"

His words were then cut short by Joel VII. "What is there no _negotiate_ with a person like Van Argeno, Mr. Goldsmith?" His words were cold, and piercing. "Did you not tell us that he is a stubborn man?" The very presence of the Chiroptera, Queen, Chevalier, or no, disgusted him, despite the fact that they meant no harm against him. All his life, his father fought to save humans from them, and was paralyzed waist down for that cause, but now, the Red Shield _protects_ the new Queens. He found that fact grossly ironic, and did not understand why Kaya and Dina should deserve to live, even if his father loved them as his own daughters, even adopting them as his daughters. "If I am not mistaken, you are a _Chevalier_, are you not able to dispose of him without any difficulty?"

Solomon nodded, "But that is not the point, Mr. Goldschmidt, I cannot just…" Saya took hold of his hand discreetly and shook her head. She knew that this new Joel despised all Chiropterans, and as loath she was to suffer his discrimination, she thought it best to remain on peaceful terms with him. His words may have stung, but if they did not suffer it, Kaya and Dina would have to suffer a far worse fate. In truth, humans like Joel VII were among those that made him see how miniscule the human race was: hypocritical, cowardly and bitter towards what they do not understand. If it were not for Saya, he would have easily killed him.

"I think that you should hold your tongue as penance for your incompetence in killing Van Argeno when you had the chance" Joel remarked cruelly, and then turned to Kaya and Dina, who were obviously displeased of Solomon's mistreatments. "And the two of you: None of this would have happened if _you_ were revealed to the world. I should have locked you up in our containment facilities after Father died"

Kaya glared at him, so did Dina. "Joel Otou-san, wanted us _free_" Kaya said, unaware that her sapphire eyes were glowing in her anger. Within seconds, she regained her composure, and added, "Perhaps we should focus on defeating Van before we try to kill each other, shall we?" Being the more hot-blooded of Diva's children, her words surprised many, including Solomon, her self-control further sealed her identity as the politician among herself and her sister.

Joel VII nodded, and soon, the monitors on the meeting-table lighted up, revealing the map-schematics of Van's current base of operations. It was based in New York, as tribute to his former position as the CEO of Cinq Fleches America, which meant that the Red Shield Headquarters would have to remain in New York for the time being. Just then, the door of the meeting-room opened and closed, revealing a rather obese Afro-American, who wore sunglasses despite that night had already fallen, and the dark lighting of the room. It was Lewis, another veteran of the previous war against the Chiroptera.

A long briefing then began, with Lewis (not after giving a small wave to Saya) heading the lengthy process. Detailed information regarding Van's highly-fortified laboratory-cum-holding-area was given, thanks to the vast intelligence network of the Red Shield. And soon, a plan was formulated: Saya and Solomon were to head directly to Van, kill him, and retrieve _all_ synthetic Delta 67 samples, which were kept with him at all times, while the younger Queens, their Chevaliers and David Jr. were to infiltrate the holding area where humans who had strains of Delta 67 in them were all held captive. Their orders were to kill anything that was hostile without warning or mercy.

"All of you would be provided with Kevlar suits and for our boys here, we'll give you the biggest guns we have, along with the ammo needed" Lewis said with his usual smile when Joel VII had left. But to his surprise, Adam and William declined. "Are you sure, I remember you would drool at the latest weaponry…" It was when both of them smiled sheepishly at him did he suspect something had _happened_ to the both of them. "Don't tell me…" He then looked at Dina and Kaya, who held the same expressions on their faces.

The young Chevaliers then took those words as the cue to reveal their new status as Chevaliers to David Sr. and Lewis: Adam, with his blood-red skin and the icicle-like projectile-spikes on his body, and William, with his wings, and talons. The two men were shocked to their core, and David Sr. was only able to say, "Chevaliers… the two of you… Kaya… Dina…" His son then recounted word for word what happened the night Adam and William became Chevaliers, and to Saya's amusement, both Lewis and David Sr. took the news quite well.

"Never thought that you two were the Chevalier type" Lewis said, giving them each a pat on the back, then looking towards Kaya and Dina, he said, "You girls are very lucky to have them" The young Queens nodded silently. "Well, you'd best better be getting some shut-eye, you have a big mission tomorrow, and Saya, if you're hungry, I have a whole pot of your favorite soup waiting for you in the kitchens for supper"


	22. Attack

"We're gonna have to drop you off here" Lewis said the moment the helicopter was hovering above Van's research facility. "The entrances on ground level are all fully-guarded, so you'll have a better chance of getting in from the roof… Good luck" Two operatives on the helicopter then launched grappling-hooks for them to descend onto the roof, but only David Jr. obliged. The Queens all leapt down onto the roof, with their Chevaliers (excluding Nathan) following soon after in their own fashion. "Such show-offs", he sighed, and Nathan chuckled. Indeed, all of them were in a great hurry.

When all of them were on the roof, the security guards who saw them were cowering in shock and fear. One of them took a look at Adam, and even wet himself in fear. Kaya then took her glaive in her hands and knocked them out cold. "I thought our orders were to kill everything in sight that is not on our side?" David Jr. asked while readying his weapon, a rather large gun that resembled that of his father's from the previous war. Kaya just rolled her eyes as she looked at the others, who were all contemplating their next course of action. It seemed to them that the only way to get in was to bore a hole into the roof, and they were at odds of what to do.

"If we blast open a hole, they will know of our presence" William said, but Dina retaliated, noting that they _would_ be found out sooner or later. "Oh, then how do you suppose to do it? Fire can't burn concrete, nor do we have any explosives with us…" It was then when Solomon smiled, and held out his hand, within mere seconds, a blast of energy that looked like a gust of wind formed at his fingertips, it was soon aimed at the empty space not far from where they stood, and a large crater was formed where the rolling ball of energy stopped.

Saya looked up to him in surprise, apparently, there was truly more to Solomon that she _knew_. Without any spoken word, the small company then leapt down the hole in rapid succession. They were _in_, and they were perfectly sure of what to do next. "Don't get killed" she said to her nieces, as she gave them quick hugs. She was perfectly aware that the young men around them would probably fight to the death to protect them, and she repeated the same words to them. Then, the younger ones parted ways with her and Solomon as they headed towards Van's office, where he was waiting for them.

As they made various turns towards their enemy's office, they were soon met by a large Chiropteran, chaperoned by five members of the once-famous Corpse Corps. The beast immediately charged at them, and Saya hacked off its hand, giving herself more time to coat the grooves of her katana with her blood while Solomon held off those of the Corpse Corps. Once the process was done, she easily disposed of the Chiropteran, and quickly rushed to aid Solomon, whose blade-arm emerged to be used as a weapon. However, as resilient as they might have seemed, they were still no match for Saya, as her blood would crystallize them almost immediately even with the smallest wound. "As long as Van does not create these… things from _your_ blood, you would be quite invincible" Solomon joked as the last of the Corpse Corps were killed.

He then took her hand, and led her to Van's office. He had been there before; it was rather large, situated at the end of a hallway of countless doors. Outside of the sandalwood doors, Saya looked at the blood on the table that appeared to be that of a secretary's. What monster would allow such sacrilege? But when Solomon opened the door, all she saw was bright light that temporarily blinded her, and soon, when she could see again, she found the office suite to be furnished in a manner that exuded simple luxuriance, and as she looked up, she found the man who dared to threaten the peace between humans and Chiropterans, as well as seek to use Kaya and Dina as his weapons and tools to world-domination!

"Ah, so zis is ze great Saya" Van said with sarcasm that could choke her. "I 'ave been expecting you, ma cherie. We 'ave not met prior to zis, non?" He held his hand for a handshake, but Saya just stared at him coldly. The light of her red eyes frightened him greatly, and he subconsciously took a step back. He had never thought Diva to be one worthy of fear, given her childish antics and the way her Chevaliers used to spoil her, but Saya was different. Rage festered in her heart, and such emotion was easily seen through her eyes… But if he had succumbed to fear, he would have faltered from his dreams long ago. He had come this close to reaching his goal; he would not spoil his own chances.

"What do you want from us?" she asked him, forcing him to gaze into her eyes. Oh, how she wanted to end this once and for all. Only then, could Kaya and Dina be safe from the fate that she and Diva had suffered, only then could they live to smile at the future.

Van grinned and said, "Silly girl, you already know ze answer to zis question. I want your darling nieces. Do not zink of me as the man who tries to outdo Amshell, Saya, I know for certain zat I cannot accomplish it. I 'ave never planned to destroy mankind, being a human myself. I am a simple man, ma cherie, I want the power zoo be able zoo move countries, and our young Queens are going to give me zat power when I sell them to the highest bidding country"

Solomon has indeed reached the end of his patience. He had given Van a warning before, if he would not back down, mercy would not come. He brandished his blade-arm, and sought to attack when Van continued. "Ah, ah, ah, do not even zink about it. You see, you are in _my_ research facility, and your precious children are already at ze holding bay? What eef I am to just press zis button here, and all ze captives turn into Chiropterans? Even _gods_ would not be able to overcome so many of zem…" In his hand was the object he used to control the transformation of the humans who had the Delta 67 strains in their bloodstream into Chiropterans. Upon knowing what dire situation they were in, he dropped his blade-arm, and Saya, her katana. "And now, we shall prezend zat we have put aside all differences and begin with ze negotiations"


	23. Desperation

Her sapphire eyes glowed in the darkness of the holding bay, and as Chiropteran after Chiropteran advanced towards Kaya and all those around her, she fought with a ferocious tenacity that she did not know that she had in her. With every severing of the anatomy of the beasts Van had set on them, she felt a sense of triumph, overwhelming her senses… Never had she felt so… _alive_… "Kaya, look out behind you!" Dina shouted, and threw a dagger towards the Chiropteran that appeared behind her sister, piercing its heart to give Kaya a chance to move away. Then, before she could even get into a proper stance, William burnt the beast into a crisp.

"I owe you _both_ one" Kaya said with a smile and went to help David Jr. and who were not far away from them. She then looked towards Adam, who used the icicles on his body to impale any incoming enemies, and saw that he was taking to his newfound abilities seamlessly as did William. Perhaps, it was _fate_ that brought all of them together that night?

However, Adam was deep in thought despite the heat of combat. It seemed to him that _everywhere_ they went, there would be Chiropterans waiting for them. Even if they supposedly killed all of them, and moved to the next area, more would come… It was as if, every move they took were being watched. His eyes then shifted towards the black moving object mounted on the wall. _A surveillance camera_… Great…

Back in Van's office, the host was having a great time watching the younger generation fighting against his new and improved Chiropterans. Oh yes, he especially loved the look of Kaya and Dina as they fought… It was as if they were _dancing_, with their graceful movements and their powers. Whoever taught them to fight must have been totally brilliant. "If zis is 'ow zey look like in a situation of controlled chaos as zis, zey will be far more _majestic_ in the zrue battlefield, oui?" he asked Saya, whose grip never left her katana. _Controlled chaos_ indeed… It took almost all of her self-control to try not to rip him into pieces.

"Call off your Chiropterans, Van, this mindless _bloodlust_ must end now" Solomon said, his voice as cold as it sounded calm to those who heard them. His old friend had gone too far, and he knew that Van would go _further_ if he and Saya could not think of a plan to stop him. "You would only bring more pain to this world, burning the wounds that Amshell Nii-san has caused before they have fully healed" But as he spoke, he saw Van getting nearer towards his desk, and pulled out a syringe filled with red liquid. _How_ did he get _it_? It was _impossible_!

From Solomon's reaction, Saya immediately knew what that syringe contained. _Diva's__blood_, the words rang in her mind. Van broke into a maniacal laughter when he saw the shock on their faces. "Of course, you do not expect that when it service of Diva, I was unable to get a sample of _this_?" He knew that if he were able to inject that syringe full of blood into Saya's system, she would meet the same fate as her sister. At the moment Saya was dead, Solomon would be a broken man, and the twins would have no one to sway them from him. He also knew that Diva's blood had become impotent after her pregnancy, and luckily for him, this sample had been retrieved when she was _just_ awoken. _That_ would be used as a last resort, he reasoned, but knowing Saya and her… companions, he could not defeat them with the plans he thought of earlier. "Zell me, Saya, 'ow far would _you_ go zoo save ze ones you love?"

Without any notice, Solomon leapt into the air and attacked Van. "Saya, the controls!" he shouted, and Saya snapped out of her frightened daze. Unsheathing her katana, she directed a hit to the controls to the holding-bay located conveniently on Van's desk, destroying them with one blow. The Frenchman was shocked, and seething with rage. In truth, those humans who had strains of the artificial Delta 67 in them would _not_ transform into Chiropterans without particular stimuli, in this context, strong vibrations converted from Diva's singing, but it would be only a while more before they found that the trigger to the gruesome effect was with his person…

"I will _fight_" she replied, and closed in on him. He could not release the Chiropterans in the facility now, so the twins and the others were quite safe… "Men like you and Amshell will _never_ interfere with our peace _again_!" Van thought that she would kill him then and there, but she remained in her composure. Mercy… at times it was a great strength, but at times, it was a weakness, A weakness that would cost her _life_.

Van smirked. "I may be old now, but I will not submit zoo ze likes of you!" he exclaimed, and raised the syringe of Diva's blood as high as he could reach. Solomon immediately shielded her body with his, knowing that Diva's blood would have no further effect on him. But when both opened their eyes, they saw a different scenario altogether… He had _drank_the blood… Oh, how triumphant he felt when he saw the looks on their faces. He would become a Chevalier, and with his new gifts, he would pursue the young Queens for as long as they lived!

But then, he stopped short, his body began to shake, and soon, unimaginable pain coursed through his body. However, power came hand in hand with the pain he felt, and when he came to the realization of the fact, he gained _control_. At the recovery of his consciousness, he felt Saya stand over him, ready for the kill. At that moment, when he looked into her ruby eyes, he saw a twinge of fear in her, and took her wrist, flinging her towards the wall nearby wall. "Saya!" he heard Solomon cry, and rushing to check on her, only to find that she was unscathed. "I think we had better find a more…open place" he said in his usual voice while releasing another blast of wind-like energy towards Van, severing his legs.

Saya agreed, and ran out of the office with him. They had just descended several flights of stairs when they heard David Jr. screaming at the others, "I found _them_" But just as soon as they saw him, they told him to run. "Wait… what for?" He then looked towards the direction of where Saya and Solomon were running _from_, and saw a rather large Chiropteran with wings and with sharp claws that made William's look like toothpicks. He did not need telling twice of the impending danger.

The moment they got into the main lobby of the facility, Solomon and William took to flight to see where Van would be coming from. "Anything on what the new threat is?" William asked his so-called mentor, but his question need not be answered, for Van was already screaming not far from them,

"I have you now, my precious Queens! With ze blessing of your muzzer, I shall claim you as my prize!"


	24. Teaser Trailer

**For every sin, there must be retribution.**

Solomon: I hereby entrust the care of my daughters to Middle Earth.

(Two little girls, one blond with chestnut eyes, and the other, ebony-haired with ice-blue eyes are shown to those seated at a great hall)

Solomon: We Chiropterans shall henceforth repay the sins we have done to all worlds, by extinguishing the flame of Sauron's evil.

Gandalf: Your race has only brought pain and suffering to this world and yours.

**To find life in every breath, to smile for another day…**

Arya (the dark-haired one): (Holds a dying Boromir in her arms) Boromir, speak to me!

Diva (the blond one): Whether or not my sister and I are accepted in Middle Earth, we will fight this war!

Galadriel: Arya, Diva, this world owes you too much.

Celeborn: You, of all people, must remember that hope is forever in your hearts.

**They must seek their greatest fears to sate their greatest desires.**

Saya: There could not be any peace without war. (Kisses Solomon)

Solomon: Then we shall take up arms here.

(Orcs roar while Saya and her family are seen fighting the armies of Mordor)

Arya: If it must be, I will give my blood to you…

(Boromir sprouts wings and roars)

Diva: To whatever end, my heart will always be yours…

(Haldir and Diva embrace)

**From Dark40rcehan, the author of Ashes of the Future, comes the epic journey that will shake the barriers of love and war…**

**Ashes of the Past: The Blood of Middle Earth**

Well, how do you like this little "trailer" I have here? Oh yes, I am planning on a sequel for Ashes of the Future, but I'll need to know your interest in it first. See if you can guess the names of Saya and Solomon's children!

P.S: This will be a crossover between Blood+ and Lord of the Rings, and will be posted under Lord of the Rings!!


	25. Victory

"This is getting a little out of hand" Dina muttered under her breath as she deflected an attack from Van with her scythe. He was stronger than he looked, and had ten times the bite than the other scum she had to deal with that night. As he swiped at her with his claws, she managed to take out a dagger and stab it into his eye. "This is for Diva" she said, and jumped clear of his way before he could retaliate.

Saya then delivered an attack to his thigh, severing bone, muscle and sinew, spilling huge splatters of his blood upon the exquisite marble floor. But the moment the blood started to flow, another thigh formed where his wound began. "Damn it!" she exclaimed, and leapt into the air to avoid Solomon's blast of energy that split him in half.

Amidst Van's screams of agony, Solomon then said to David Jr., "This battle is not yours, David, contact Lewis and Nathan to send back-up; we'll need all the help we can get here" But David Jr. will not budge, he will not let all of them face this _monster_ alone. Van's power of extreme re-growth far surpasses that of the regenerative abilities of _all_ Chiropterans, and there was _no way _that they could get out of this mess… "David, go now, or we would all meet our end here!" _Having courage does not mean that you have to face death like a fool_, David Jr. remembered his father's words, _it means that you dare to stand up to your fears to help the ones who need you the most_.

Summoning what courage he had, he ran towards the doors, and dialed Lewis' number. "What's the problem?" Lewis asked at the other end of the line. "Where are the others?" As he looked at the monitor of the tracking system, he only saw one single dot, bearing David Jr.'s name evacuating the building, while the others were still inside, moving at rapid speeds.

"That mad scientist became a Chevalier somehow" David Jr. answered, "and what's worse is that he can re-grow any part of his body after it is being cut off!"

Nathan then remembered one very crucial fact: Thirty years ago, just before Diva went to attack the Red Shield with Carl, Van had approached her in private… He had spoken sweet words to her… that was why he did not suspect anything… It was possible that Van had obtained Diva's blood then… Ah, it was his turn to baby-sit the children yet again. "You send for help, Lewis" he said, and told the pilot to head to Van's research facility. "I will help them" Without wasting any time, he took his Chiropteran form and jumped down from the helicopter.

"Wait… what the hell is happening?" Lewis asked, but there was none who could answer him. Without any hesitation, he called David Sr. and said, "David, we have a major problem right now. Van Argeno is now a Chevalier, and we need back-up on the double"

However, it was Joel VII who answered, "Then let them fight against their own kind" His words were bitter and cold, which brought chills to all those who heard those words. "Let us see what our darling Queens and their Chevaliers can accomplish. Let no one of the Red Shield approach them."

"You can't just _leave_ them there!" Lewis reasoned, but the line was disconnected. Joel's word was _final_, and if anyone defied him, it would not be good for _anyone_. That man, Joel VII had changed the Red Shield's laws from one of freedom to one of control. Whoever acted against his orders were immediately seen as traitors, and traitors were immediately _disposed off_. "I'm sorry, Junior, but they're on their own now. Joel refuses to send back-up"

David Jr. did not know what to do… He could not just abandon Kaya, Dina, William and Adam… Not to mention Saya, who he had heard so much about, and Solomon, the man who preached peace when Diva's chaos almost destroyed mankind… He joined the Red Shield to protect the future of humans by protecting the Queens, but now… "Damn it!" he said, and ran back towards the building. He did not care what would happen to him, but they needed help.

"Take this!" William shouted, and hurled a ball of fire towards Van, who merely dodged the flaming sphere and threw him towards the fountain in the middle of the lobby. What was taking the Red Shield so long to send reinforcements? It was not like Joel VII _wanted_ them all to die there… He would never do such a thing, but… he was also the same man who wanted Kaya and Dina to be locked up in a containment facility before they could be seen by the world.

Adam felt the same way as well. "Joel VII would be hard-pressed to send help here" he said, "He _hates_ Chiropterans with a passion" Firing a shower of icicles towards Van, he then saw another flash of blue right, and he then saw Nathan standing there, with both arms of the enemy on the floor. "Why the hell are you here?"

"It is good to see you _actually_ fighting, Nathan" Solomon said, slashing Van's back as Dina thrust her glaive deep into their enemy's abdomen. A combined attack of fire and icicles then gave them enough time to flee so that their wounds could heal before Van would attack again.

"Why, thank you" Nathan said, chuckling as he looked towards Van, who tried to kick him away, but had his arms and legs cut off by the ancient Chevalier's bladed arms. Saya immediately coated the grooves of her katana with her blood, and she sped towards Van as the four Chevaliers began to stop him from moving. Dina and Kaya as well, with their weapons and what speed their feet granted them, pierced his abdomen and his lungs.

Gathering all the strength she had in her, Saya thrust the blade of her katana deep into Van's heart. "Fool, I cannot die with mere wounds as zis" Van said, but his ears picked up the sound of cracking stone. "Eet is impossible…" he said before his body was completely crystallized. Immediately, Dina and Kaya looked up with a newfound relief. They… had… won…

Just then, the doors to the main lobby were torn from their hinges, and David Jr. came crashing in. "Sorry guys, Joel refused to send help" Then, looking at the heap of white and red stone, and the tired expressions on the faces of those before him that were laced with relief, he asked, "What did I miss?"


	26. Betrothal

Before Saya and her nieces returned to Okinawa, Nathan had arranged for them another surprise, a performance at the MET of a young singer who had become his protégé. Kai and Mao, due to the fact that they had a restaurant to manage as well as the Okinawa Jahana Yakuza, had returned the moment they were all safely on the ship that acted as the Red Shield's headquarters, and were unable to attend the performance. By then, Saya had already accepted that the dead could not return, and she obliged Nathan's invitation with a smile.

"Her name is Undomelinn Eldaraerlinn" Nathan said just before the show started, giving a wink to Solomon. "As you might have guessed, she came from the same parts your mother did, Saya" Did her mother _really_ come from Scandinavia? But looking at the soprano Nathan had been ranting about for the whole day, every single question from her mind dissolved, even Kaya and Dina could not speak. This woman was truly beautiful.

She was tall, and graceful, as she stood on the stage. Her costume of black silk reminded the audience of the kimono being interbred with the Chinese Qi Pao, as it had a mandarin collar and wrapped her voluptuous figure perfectly, while the sleeves of the costume were wide and long, tied to her biceps by exotic snake-like bicep-cuffs. Her voice, it was like the ringing of a small silver bell in the mountains, crisp and sweet.

Sad tales she began to sing, that of great battles of ancient past, and that of darkness and terror. And then, when her performance neared its end, she began to sing Diva's song. It was the first time Kaya and Dina heard it, and they were enthralled. "Your mother sang this song for you when you were retrieved from her womb" Solomon whispered to the girls, much to their surprise. "She had wished to sing it to you for as long as she could afford" However, that song no longer brought a sense of fear into Saya's heart. It brought her comfort, knowing that even through this young singer, Diva's memory would always remain.

"Ladies and gentleman" Undomelinn Eldaraerlinn began to speak. "This last song is dedicated to the memory of those who had sadly lost their lives here in this opera house thirty years ago in the freak accident caused by_inhumane parties_, and to a love unbroken by blood and conflict". Her large eyes were then focused towards Saya and Solomon. "I have been commissioned to sing this song, written by the sisters Miyagusuku-Goldschmidt Dina and Miyagusuku-Goldschmidt Kaya" As she spoke the name of Diva's children, the spotlight shined on them and they smiled sheepishly. Soon, the music began to play, and the soprano began to sing to the playing of a piano.

Love walks ever hand in hand with peace,

No one could ever deny this truth,

You stood right before me, saying,

"Please dance with me in this song"

At that time when war broke out,

You were the only one who offered peace.

If you could choose whose hand would you take?

Mine or that of my sister?

I did not know who you were,

How was I to know you would fight

Among those that I had sworn to kill?

I did not know that your heart was true…

"If you were lost, I will find you"

Who said those was words, was it you?

"Travel with me, cast off your fate"

Were those words only just tools?

The land can glow like a rainbow,

The sea can be tinted with red.

Come with me, I will find happiness for you.

Your dreams are also mine

Centuries of war…

We are of the same blood and family,

Can we not bask in the embrace of peace?

If only you would take my hand.

Even as so much blood was shed,

You would always hold out your hand.

Guiding me to see the light of life,

With your bright smile, and your eyes of ice…

Soaring freely,

Under the skies, and above the seas.

You don't have to fear,

This love…

This love…

Even as so much blood was shed,

You would always hold out your hand.

Guiding me to see the light of life,

With your bright smile, and your eyes of ice…

If you would ask,

I'll give you all that your heart desires,

All that you wish.

Come, take my hand,

I will be right here, waiting for your love,

Waiting for your smile.

As the song progressed, Saya could not help but to remember the first time she had met Solomon. They did not know who each other were, and there was this… _instant connection_ between the two of them. His smile made her glow from within, dispelling all the darkness that she saw in the distant future, and her heart. The twins really had a way with words, and when paired the heavenly voice of Undomelinn Eldaraerlinn, it really brought out what she had _felt_ all this time.

The moment the song had ended, the curtains in the backdrop were lowered to reveal the most magnificent sunset. The view of the Hudson River towards that led towards the sea was perfectly astounding, and Saya would see that the sea looked as if it had been dyed a deep red. While across the shore, the skyscrapers and the land they stood on looked as if a rainbow had solidified and granted them its majestic colours…

But as she turned towards Solomon, she could not see him. Instead, he had already found his way to the stage, and he said loud and clear into the microphone, "Saya, I have loved you the moment I set my eyes on you. I have told you once that the sea can be tinted with red and the land can glow like a rainbow (as repeated by the twins in the previous song), and now, you have seen the truth" Saya blushed, and at the coaxing of her nieces, Nathan and the entire _audience_, she awkwardly got up the stage to join him, not knowing what he would do next.

"Solomon, what are you-"

Before she could continue in her words, he knelt to her upon bended knee and took her hand in his. "My Queen, will you marry me?" He asked earnestly, ice-blue eyes looking into hers, seeking an answer from her. Unlike all those years ago, in New York, Saya smiled and hugged him.

"Yes!" she exclaimed. Her nightmares ended that night, right there on that stage thirty years ago; and right there, on that exact same spot, new dreams, _sweeter_ dreams would begin anew. Smiling, Solomon slipped that Cartier ring he had constantly kept in his pocket ever since he had it made onto her finger. She recognized the nature of the red stone, surrounded by diamonds. It was… "Hagi… but why?"

Solomon cupped her face and said, "He would always be part of you, Saya. No matter how hard you try, his memory would live on through you. I am grateful… to the man who had protected you throughout his life" Then and there, he kissed her, despite the many thousands of people watching them. Applause roared about them as their lips joined, and Saya even heard a few whistles. Indeed, it was the first time in her life that she received a standing ovation on the stage…

HAN: Well, Solomon finally proposed!!! YAY!!! Oh yeah, before I forgot, Undomelinn Eldaraerlinn is my muse, and I've been writing about her for quite some time now, not on the computer, though, and here, she makes a cameo appearance. Maybe she'll have a part in the sequel, who knows? The song is based on "This Love" by Angela Aki, itself an Ending Theme for Blood+ and it could be sung to the tune of the original song!

P.S: I REALLY need to know how many of you guys reading this are interested in the sequel to this fic being crossovered with the Lord of the Rings, thanks to XOiHeartMiloOX and Fluffy's Pocky who already did!!


	27. Approval

"It's beautiful!" Mao exclaimed the moment she saw Saya's engagement ring. It was a magnificent work of art, simple to look at from far, but the moment one looked at it up close, its beauty and elegance shone forth like a thousand stars. _Just like Saya_, Solomon thought the moment he saw it finished. The jeweler was paid handsomely for his work, in fact, the highest amount paid in recent years. "You're a lucky girl, Otonashi… unlike _some_ idiots in this room" When Kai proposed to her, he could not afford a ring, and used the ring of a soft-drink can until he could get one for her.

Saya blushed and nodded while the twins nudged her _fiancé_, and Solomon cleared his throat. "If it was not for Kaya and Dina, I would have not been able gain the courage to do the deed" Every word of it was true, and the twins, as _creative_ as they were, with the help of Nathan, managed to get specialists within 24 hours to light the city up _discreetly_ in the colors of the rainbow and composed a piece for a soprano and a _full orchestra_ to boot. They were lucky that Undomelinn Eldaraerlinn was a cooperative woman. "With the help of Nathan, of course"

Kai then said to him, "Congratulations, Solomon" The moment Saya accepted his _proposal_, Solomon was already part of his family, and whatever distrust he had his former enemy was immediately gone. With Hagi dead, the only man who could provide Saya with the happiness she so deserved was Solomon, _which_ he could not deny. "I would gladly have a brother-in-law like you… but if you _ever_ break Saya's heart, I will _kill _you"

Solomon smiled and said, "Gladly, I would accept death at your hands when that day comes, Kai-san" He had already gotten used to Saya's family, through the twins and the many battles they had fought, and thought that they were very close-knit with plenty of love and empathy. The only sadness was that Kai and Mao could not have any children, due to a miscarried child at the third year of their marriage… Kaya and Dina had told him how depressed Mao was after that, but within a few weeks, she was back into her usual self again.

At that moment, Kaya then said, "Dinner is ready!" Dina walked to and fro from the cook-tops to the bar-counter where she and her sister served French dishes in tribute to Solomon. Living for thirty years without the need to earn a living as the adopted daughters of the Goldschmidt clan had given them a _lot_ of time to spare, and that time was used to gain knowledge in came in many forms: Anything from actuarial science to music, and now… cooking. Indeed, they had surprised _everyone_, including Solomon, who had been their secret-keeper all these years.

Although Chevaliers needed not to eat, they were not averse to food at all. Out of sheer curiosity and protocol (for he was a high-bred gentleman through and through), Solomon had agreed to join them for dinner. For some particular reason, the food that the twins had cooked tasted so much like the ones he ate when he was still a small boy… _His mother's cooking_… But how did they even _know_? As usual, the twins smirked amongst themselves and Dina asked, "When you brought us to your Châteaux in Paris, Solomon Oji-san, we stole _this_ from you"

She held up a thin, leather bound book. It was his mother's precious _cookbook_, one that _no one_ was allowed to touch. Solomon had forgotten all about it, and shook his head disapprovingly. "Ah, no wonder the two of you learned French in the first place" he said, looking at Saya, who could not stifle a chuckle. But he could not deny that the two of them were extremely skillful in _whatever_ they did, the food tasted _great_... Were they geniuses from a past life? "How could I _not_ suspect that?" In their mischief, Dina and Kaya had given him a glimpse of what precious memories he had forgotten, how could he be mad at them? He smiled at them, and sighed. "Just tell me what the two of you would _not_ do, and I'll praise the Lord for it"

"Then you would be hard pressed to find _anything_ that they won't do" Kai said, and began to list off the crazy things they did. "Deep-sea diving, bungee jumping, sky-diving… Abseiling down the KL (HAN: stands for Kuala Lumpur, heck, I'm MALAYSIAN, so there…) Tower, don't forget playing poker on the helipad of the Burj al-Arab…" Dina and Kaya just looked at their first adoptive father with wide eyes, even they could not _remember_ that they did all those things. How was he able to do that?

Saya too, was very curious as to Kai's sudden burst of good memory. He was _never_ one who struck her as someone who had a good memory. "Kai, how are you able to remember all _that_?"

"Because… these girls almost gave me a heart attack every time! I had… to record everything so that I could claim for insurance _if_ I do get a heart attack" Kai replied, "I'm getting old for crying out loud, I can't take any more shock!"

Solomon cleared his throat and looked at the three Queens. The news they had _planned_ to pass to Kai would _not_ go well with him… But what must be done, _must_ be done. He put on his usual face and said, "Then you would not mind the girls returning to France to continue with their work as analysts and I take Saya on a trip around the world, would you?"

Mao gave a nod of approval. "Right you are, these girls have been slacking at home for way to long now" she said, and turned to Saya. "You have fun with Solomon now, we'll be right here when you come back, won't we Kai?"

"Yeah, Kaya and Dina should learn a little responsibility" Kai replied, oblivious to the fact that Solomon had already stated that Saya was to follow him on a trip around the world until Mao whispered into his ear his future adopted-brother-in-law's _exact_ words. "What the… A TRIP AROUND THE WORLD!" He then regained his composure and said, "Sure, have fun", before he slumped into a heap on the floor, unconscious.


	28. Wedding

A year had passed. A full year since the conflict Van Argeno had caused ended, a full year since Saya got to know her twin nieces, their Chevaliers and Joel VII… A full year since she became Solomon's fiancée. As he had promised, he had brought her on a trip around the world, where only there was only the two of them, and her family to contact. At the anniversary of their engagement, they came to Solomon's Parisian home, and brought Kai and Mao along with them: They would hold their wedding there.

Everyone near and dear to them was invited, and including the _entire_ Red Shield. "This châteaux can accommodate three hundred people, why not?" Solomon had said when Mao suggested that _all_ members of the Red Shield be witnesses to their wedding. It was a tribute to the ending of all they had suffered from, generation to generation, even a man as stone-cold as Joel VII obliged to attend to the ceremony when Adam and William passed the invitation to him. "Well, that _is_ the last of our problems", he had told Saya during the few private moments they had together leading to the day of the wedding.

The ceremony itself was one that was both dazzling and elegant at the same time, held in the vast courtyard of the châteaux. Every single detail was perfectly taken care of, from the flowers to the placement of their guests, everything left to the extraordinary organizational skills of Kaya and Dina. The one who resided over their marriage vows was none other than dear Adam, who had become the captain of a fleet of highly-profitable fishing ships. "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to witness the wedding of Solomon Goldsmith and Otonashi Saya" he said in a highly monotonous voice. Out of a sudden, his phone rang. "Excuse me for a moment; I have to take this call… Yes, this is Adam Thomas speaking. Yes, the wedding is going on smoothly. No, there are no Chiropterans with malicious intent within the vicinity of thirty kilometers. WHAT THE HECK DO YOU WANT?" All the guests began laughing as the call progressed. The mysterious caller began to interrogate Adam on every single fact that had to do with the wedding. "Well, just because you _created_ this freaking world doesn't mean you have to stick your nose into other people's business! Good day, bye" There was a long pause that made Saya blush in the awkwardness of the situation. Solomon just remained calm, as he always was.

"Who was the call from?" William demanded from the first row of seats that were situated behind the altar.

Adam gave all of them a big smile and said, "It was God. He wishes you eternal happiness and health… wait, you won't get _sick_ won't you, so we'll scratch that. Erm… oh yeah! He also said that he would be held responsible if anything you do not wish to happen does and you can blaspheme all you want"

Kaya, who was a bride's maid, stomped at his feet with her heels; a sign that mentioned that he was going too far. "Stick to the program _or else_" she whispered with gritted teeth.

"Ok, fine!" he replied, and continued, "Can't a guy hold a wedding in peace? First God, now my Queen…" Once again, his words extracted more laughter from everyone present. "If any man, of all _species, _mind you, can show just cause, why they may not lawfully be joined together, let him now speak, or else hereafter for ever hold his peace. Going once… going twice…" He received another death threat from Dina before he could say "Sold to the highest bidder"

Luckily, no one other than the twins contested Adam's words. Saya looked at Solomon from under her veil, and found that he was smiling at her. Smiling back, she whispered to him, "If Adam continues his antics, I'm afraid that Dina and Kaya will kill him for sure"

Her husband-to-be-in-the-matter-of-seconds nodded. "Well, we would have to find another captain of a ship then" He replied. There, they waited until the young Chiropteran Queens managed to force Adam to follow the necessary protocol, holding each other's hand. _Never_ in Saya's wildest dreams would she imagine that such a day would come to her. Everyone she knew and held dear was there, not to mention she had the funniest man alive to make the wedding happen.

Three minutes passed, and Adam was still being reined in. As a last resort, the twins incapacitated him with combined Jeet-kun-do attacks and had him bound, gagged and dragged away. "Well, Kaya and I own two ships under the Goldschmidt name; do we qualify to replace Adam?" Dina asked coyly. When only applause was heard from everyone around them, she cleared her throat and turned to Solomon, "Solomon Oji-san, do you take Oba-chan to be your wife, to love her, to comfort her, to cherish her, to continually bestow upon her your heart's deepest devotion, in species-induced hibernation or no, forsaking all others, keep you only unto her, so long as you both shall live?"

Solomon looked at Saya, and said, "I do" with his most charming smile. Her heart raced. In a matter of seconds, she would be married to the man who had given everything to her, that brought her to this moment of happiness and bliss.

After snatching the microphone from her sister, Kaya said to Saya, "Oba-chan, do you take Solomon Oji-san to be your husband, to love him, to comfort him, to cherish him, to continually bestow upon him your heart's deepest devotion, in species-induced hibernation of no, and forsaking all others, keep you only unto him, so long as you both shall live?"

"I do" Saya said, blushing as she smiled at Solomon like she did when they met in Lycee three decades ago. Adam, who had "escaped" his captors then rushed back onto the platform of the altar and chased the twins back to their original places.

"Please join hands, face one another and repeat after me: you are my beloved, to love and to cherish, and to have and to hold, for richer, for poorer, for better, for worse, in hibernation and in awakening, in sadness and in joy, to share our lives together, from this day forward" he said, dutifully. When the rings had been exchanged and the vows all said and done, there was only one thing to do. "Well, on the count that I am still alive and breathing perfectly well, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride in any way you wish, but don't make it obscene… Ok, ok, I get it, I'll _stop! _Just don't kill me!"

Without knowing the meaning of delay, Solomon lifted Saya's veil, drew her into his arms and kissed her passionately. Just then, a beam of sunlight fell upon them, as if they both of them were truly _blessed_ by the Almighty.


	29. Ecstasy and Joy

It was not the first time Solomon looked upon the naked body of Saya, which he found to be every inch as beautiful as that of Diva's (they were _twins_, after all), but _that_ time he undressed her, he did it out of utmost need, for she had been injured by Amshell, and those clothes were awfully worn by dirt and the weather… He practically had no choice. However, he could not deny after seeing all her radiant beauty in its entirety, his mind began to move towards sampling even the slightest taste of his wife. He had never shown it to her, but the _desire_ was there. "I do not wish to hurt you, Saya" he said to her when she seemed to be holding back. "If you wish for it, I will not press on"

Saya shook her head. It was not like she had _never_ tasted the forbidden fruit before. Chiropterans were creatures of instinct, no matter who they were. Intimate contact was needed between a Queen and her Chevalier, and she and Hagi had done so before in many distant years ago, all before her previous awakening. But things were different now… "Hagi and I…" she said, inhaling once again his scent of sandalwood that intoxicated her. He smiled, and placed a finger on her lips, drawing her into his strong embrace.

"As have I with Diva, Saya" he whispered into her ear, gently nibbling on her earlobe when she was a little more relaxed. A small moan escaped her lips, and she tightened the hold of her arms around his back. At the caress of his tongue on the outer shell of her ear, Saya threw her head back, and allowed her husband to continue his sweetly gentle ministrations. Every touch, every sound, seemed to take on the life of their own. Soon, the sweetness of Solomon's expert touches were replaced that of passion, that of _desire_. Many searing kisses they shared, all that drowned them both.

When they were on the bed, Solomon had to exercise _all_ self-control he had to ensure he did not fill her sweet chasm with his member. "So beautiful…" he whispered into her ear before taking a coral-pink nipple with his tongue, licking it as a thirsty wolf laps up the water of a cool spring in the warm embrace of summer. So sweet did she taste, threatening to take away his very sanity. He wanted to taste every single part of her, and that he did, delivering kisses to her flat abdomen, to the inner corners of her thigh, and to her core…

Saya had lost the very ability to form words from all the pleasure Solomon was giving her; she grasped his straw-blonde curls with one hand, and the silk sheets on the other, moaning as he brought her nearer and nearer to the brink to total ecstasy. Their eyes met, and as ice-like orbs gazed into those containing ruby fire, something feral within their very souls washed over them, and they were lost once again, in a piece of heaven they had claimed for themselves.

"Solomon…" she gasped as he took her hand in his, and braced herself for his thrust, which came gently. They had become one, but it ended not there. Between earth-shattering kisses and each thrust, the handsome Chevalier found himself too, reaching his own peak. Saya's panting soon became screams of ecstasy and euphoria which no spoken or written tongue could describe. At the last thrust, he reached his limit, sending his seed into her womb, ending it all with one last sweet kiss. "I love you" were the last words he heard from his beloved Queen before sleep washed over her.

Wishing to join her, Solomon sighed at his own inability to sleep, and lay on the bed next to her, content to be able to admire Saya's beauty. Everything he had fought for, everything he had lived for had been realized. Truly, he no longer felt any regret.

00000 0000 0000 0000

"Look at them, Oba-chan, they look just like you!" Dina exclaimed when her cousins were born. Saya's children, as well as Solomon's, they were. They were also the first Queens to have _both_ their parents alive after their birth. Unlike Diva, Saya's pregnancy only lasted _six__ months_, to Julia's surprise. Her chestnut eyes were filled with joy as she looked upon her daughters. One had ebony hair like her, but had their father's ice-blue eyes, the other, had her chestnut eyes and his straw colored hair that shined of gold.

Solomon looked at her, smiling as he cuddled his daughter that had inherited Saya's eyes and said, "You name them, Saya. You _gave birth_ to them after all"

Saya went into deep thought. The two of them had bright futures ahead of them, while she wanted to remind them of all her sister and mother had suffered, so that they will fight for their own futures and happiness. Her decision was made and she looked at the daughter of hers that she was carrying. "You will be Arya", she said to the newborn, naming the bundle of joy after her mother, who fought against the barbaric Magyars and those who prosecuted her as a _vampire_ only to be inhumanely dissected and cast away as a carcass of little or no use. Then, she looked towards her other daughter. "Diva… Your name will be Diva"

"Arya and Diva… welcome to this world" their father said. "You will have greatness thrust upon you, my dears. I wonder what deeds you will mark to your name…"

"Judging by the fact that their father is an immortal CEO of a multinational pharmaceutical empire that can move even the UN and their mother was a biological super-weapon…" Dina said teasingly whilst looking at Arya and Diva. "I think that they'll be hard pressed not to repeat all the great things that the two of you had done. Heck, you two practically saved the world _twice_"

Solomon and Saya looked at each other and smiled. What Dina said was right. Their daughters would have a great deal to live up to. His expression then changed when he looked towards the older set of twins once more. "Dina, Kaya, I have something very important to ask of you" he said. "Saya and I have decided that we raise our daughters far from the eyes of the world to avoid any more prosecution of our _kind_. In doing so, I have no choice but to leave Cinq Fleches as CEO…"

Kaya nodded. "Well, I know that you would already have the names of your replacement, Solomon Oji-san" she said. Throughout the past year and a half, Kaya and Dina, along with their Chevaliers, Adam and William had played active roles in Cinq Fleches, proving they were all experts of the corporate field. Solomon was highly impressed, and under the permission of the board of directors, he had come to a final decision.

"I will remain as the principal owner, but the two of you, my dears, will share the position as CEO. I am sure that your Chevaliers would be of excellent help" he said as he cradled his daughter. "I have brought this matter to Joel VII and Kai-san as well, and they have no qualms about it. Like it or not, the two of you _have_ to take the job"

The twins were _shocked_. Of their mischievous ways and their liking for extensive travels, he _still_ trusted them enough to make them CEO of the company he had built from scratch thirty five years ago… "But… but…" Kaya muttered.

Saya put her hand on those of her nieces. "Don't worry; I think that you two will do the job _brilliantly_"


	30. Discovery

"Mama… Mama!" Saya heard her daughters call towards her. 18 months old, and already running on their own, Arya and Diva proved themselves to be very active children, who could not sit still for a second. It made her wonder whether she was like that when she was a child, remembering that she was _quite_ the handful for Joel I. She had been taking a nap below the large oak tree in the courtyard of Solomon's châteaux, while her daughters played together under the watchful eyes of their father.

Ever since Solomon had retired as the CEO of Cinq Fleches, he had been home every day, caring for his family. No words could describe how happy he felt, but one thing still laid in his mind. It had been three years since Saya was awake… The time of her hibernation would come soon, and he knew that it pained her to think that she could never be there to see their beautiful daughters grow up. "Arya, Diva, what did I say about waking your mother?" he asked them firmly.

The toddlers looked at him and back to Saya. "We're sowwy…" Diva said, followed by her sister. Saya smiled, and hugged her daughters. _Damn it… why does it have to be like this?_ She asked herself, wishing that she could be free of the need to hibernate, so she could see her daughters. Scandinavia, it had to have some connection with the origins of the Chiropteran race. Why was it that her mother would return to that particular place, even if she was living in Eastern Europe so happily with Nathan? The Schiff were also created there… Was it pure coincidence, or did Amshell find out something that even Nathan knew not about?

"Its okay" she said to her daughters, releasing them from her embrace so that their governess could bring them to their room for their daily afternoon nap. She had to keep on a strong guise in front of them… Arya and Diva were highly perceptive of their surroundings and those around them… It would not do them any good to know that their mother was to leave them for another thirty-year sleep, and that she was rather sad about it. Once they were out of earshot of the toddlers, she said to Solomon, "I do not wish to leave them, Solomon" She now understood why her sister had tried so hard to go close to Kaya and Dina more moments before she died… Her children were a part of her, and it broke her heart so knowing that she could not be with them every moment of their lives.

Solomon took her hands as she leaned her head on his shoulder. "Then I shall find a way to forestall your hibernation" he said, gazing into her eyes gently. "Come, I have arranged for Nathan to come here for tea. He has promised us some very important information" She looked at him in confusion, with his smile for an answer. Lightly, he kissed her forehead and helped her to stand. Was it really true, that there could be a way to escape the need to hibernate every thirty years? As they went into the main living-quarters, Solomon continued, "Nevertheless, there is something that you must know: All the information we may have gathered are all hypothetical. There is no telling whether _everything_ would be true…"

Saya nodded. In all her years, she had learnt one thing: Nothing was what it seemed. It took her very long to understand that, and she embraced it wholly. Walking towards the living-room, they sensed a powerful presence in their daughters' room and went to inspect it. "Saya, you bad girl, you never told me that your daughters are _this_ beautiful!" Nathan whispered the moment he saw them. "What are their names?"

"Diva and Arya" Saya replied, gesturing at her daughters respectively. She knew that he would not harm them in any way, and waited for him to say those words she wanted to hear, but with Solomon holding her hand, she felt much calmer. Of all people, _Nathan_ had been the most unpredictable. She had not seen him for the most part of two years, and now he appeared before her…

"I see…" Nathan replied, caressing the tiny cheeks of the new Queens. He sensed great power in them, power enough to change the fortunes of the world… Perhaps it was because they were very lucky when the gene pool was concerned, for Solomon was among the most powerful Chevaliers, while Saya was the more dominant Queen of her generation. "Well, I did not come so far from Scandinavia to merely look at your children. Shall we speak of it now, Solomon?"

Solomon nodded, "But of course" and led them to the green house which held two complete fossils of dinosaurs and a chart of the order of all living species engraved in concrete. The spread had already been laid out, and once again, he had displayed his impeccable taste and his understanding of Nathan's discerning one. The ancient Chevalier drank _nothing but_ Chinese Pu'Er tea from the mountains in Yunnan. "What do you have for us, Nathan?"

Nathan sighed, and said, "I am sure that you remember my protégé, Undomelinn Eldaraerlinn?" She was the soprano who sang the song that Dina and Kaya had written to help Solomon propose to Saya. "Now, I want the both of you to look back the offspring of the Queens of our race. And Arya was the _only_ Queen before you, Saya, and your sister, Diva…" So far, she, her mother and Diva had given birth to _twins_. And Arya I was the only Queen… it was impossible. There _had_ to be _another_ Queen… Unless…

"Undomelinn Eldaraerlinn is my aunt…" Saya said, unable to believe what she had just said. How was it possible? But it was also nigh impossible to say that the soprano _could_ not be her _aunt_. "But…"

Solomon also did not believe it. "Nathan, how did you come upon this information?" he asked, ice-blue eyes piercing that of Nathan's ocean-colored ones. There _had_ to be a _logical_ explanation… there just _had_ to be.

"Because I have lived for at least two thousand years, young Chevalier" came Undomelinn Eldaraerlinn's voice. "Chiropterans originate not from this world, but one linked to this one via the aurora borealis found in Scandinavia. Centuries ago, Arya escaped the darkness of our world and into this… I have been searching for her ever since"


	31. Undomelinn

"If you lived for so long, Miss Eldaraerlinn, you would have entered hibernation countless times already, have you not?" Solomon reasoned, gazing at Undomelinn (HAN: I'll be dropping her last name now) in wonder. How could she have lived so long? Two thousand years… it was a long, long time, even for him, who had lived a little more than a century and a half. Undomelinn chuckled, and drank her tea while focusing her fiery eyes of sapphire upon Saya, who looked at her in the same way. From one glance, even a fool could tell that the both of them were related, but Saya looked like an adolescent child beside her, for although she looked no older than Saya, there was something in her eyes that told the world that she had seen many kings of ancient antiquity fall along with their realms now forgotten by history.

The words that came from her lips shocked Solomon and Saya to no end, and it gave the latter hope, hope that she could actually be able to watch her own children grow up with her very eyes… "I have not hibernated in my own world, young Chevalier. It is only here, in yours, that I am subjected to it. For a thousand years and nine centuries have I gone without hibernation, before I came here" Saya's eyes lit up in hope, and her heart soared… "But before that, Nathan, how did my sister die? Without my blood, it is impossible to kill her, is it not? You were her Chevalier, were you not? Tell me, did she still laugh at the face of death itself?"

Nathan nodded, and narrated the tales of Arya I that he had not told all of them. Saya and Solomon had already known that Arya I was an optimist, who could not be driven into sadness, from Nathan's telling of her back in Okinawa when Saya had just been awake… The more Nathan told them of Arya I, the more Saya respected her late mother. She had only killed out of need, out of the sheer necessity to survive. It was then only known that she was already pregnant before she came to the world they were currently in, and that she did not know of it herself… "When she knew that her children would be born soon, she told me that they had to return to Scandinavia before her next hibernation. I did not know why, but I followed her nonetheless. We found shelter in a cave where she lost consciousness, and I went to hunt down anything that could give her blood… when I returned, she was no longer there…"

From there, Arya I's story was already widely known. But not Undomelinn… She clenched her fists so tightly that they became white in her anger knowing that her dear sister had been used so lightly so that a mortal man could understand her anatomy… That her nieces were torn apart from each other, that Amshell would use Diva I for his own selfish ends. "All of you have suffered so needlessly here…" she said, standing up and looking at Saya, cupping her face. "The mothers of our past would weep when they hear of your story… Forgive me, my darling niece, for not coming earlier to you"

Saya shook her head with a smile. "But Aunt 'Melinn (as Undomelinn wanted to be called)… is there a way to go… back?" she asked. Wherever the Chiropterans came from, she had to go back as fast as possible before the time of her hibernation came… Her mother must have been thinking the same thing, for only in that mysterious world could Queens be exempted from the need of hibernation. Only there could see be with her _family_ forever without being separated from them. She had not fought all her life for this opportunity. If Diva I knew of this, she was sure that her sister would exhaust what power she had to go back… She was_sure_ of it.

There was a pause from the ancient Queen. She smiled at Saya, and hugged her. Although she was not a mother yet, Undomelinn still knew the pain of being separated from her family. Arya, who ventured all alone into this world, her own mother, killed by the demons of their own… "Luckily for you, the aurora would appear once again in three weeks, dear Saya"

Three weeks… was there any time for them to make it to Scandinavia in time? Would Saya stay awake until then? Solomon looked at his wife, and held her hand tight in his when Undomelinn released her. He did not want to see her grief, nor did he want his daughters to grow up without their mother, for he had wanted Arya and Diva to be the most fortunate Queens of their race. He wanted them to grow and mature in happiness, under the love of _both_ their parents. "Saya, I will get you back there in time" he vowed. "For you, and for our children, I will _make_ it _happen_" Kai and Mao, of course, would have to be notified, Kaya, Dina, and their Chevaliers as well… "Miss Eldaraerlinn" he said, turning to Undomelinn, "If we are to hypothetically miss the aurora this time, when would we encounter it again?"

To this, Undomelinn said, "It would take more or less another 120 years" That would mean that the Queens would have to go through at least another 4 terms of hibernation if they missed this chance. Solomon did not need to hear it from Saya's words to know that she was willing to take this risk, but they must also take the others of her family into account. Especially Kai and Mao. Although they had moved to a suburb near where they lived so that they could visit Arya and Diva, bringing the Omoro with them, but to cross worlds… They needed to discuss it thoroughly, and fast, if any preparations were to be made. "Choose wisely, children. Nevertheless, I can promise you that you would not be prosecuted there for who you are, but… our world is not without its nightmares. Yet… there are havens that are hallowed where peace still reigns"

Saya had made her decision. And at the notice that she was up to the challenge, Nathan whipped his cell phone into his hand. "Somebody's got to inform Kaya and Dina, right?"

HAN: Ah, DUN DUN DUN... Saya makes a decision!! As Arya and Diva are recycled names, I have come up with a way to avoid any confusion... I HOPE IT WORKS!!! Arya will be the name of Saya's daughter, while her mother will be referred to as Arya I, and the original Diva will be known as Diva I, as opposed to Diva, for the latter of Diva's children... Ok with you?


	32. Home

"Back home, there is a forest so beautiful that all who look upon it will stare in awe" Undomelinn said to all that were in her cabin that night. Saya and Solomon held their children, listening to every word as Kaya and Dina cuddled up with their Chevaliers. "Men call it the Golden Wood. You see, in spring, gold leaves grow upon the trees there, and in autumn, they fall to the ground still gold. It is truly a wondrous place, there Elves sing in the city built atop the great trees-"

She was interrupted by Kaya momentarily. "There are Elves there?" she asked. Ever since she was little, she had always loved those tales which had Elves, pixies and fairies in them… They reminded her of a different world, of a world that was beyond what sadness her kind had seen. "What do they look like, Aunt 'Melinn?"

Undomelinn sighed and said, "My children, the Elves are the most magnificent creatures. They live immortal lives like we do, but they do not need blood to survive, nor they have our regenerative powers. They have voices far fairer than mine, and some are unsurpassed in the many crafts they commit themselves to. I have seen the pictures of the Elves this world knows of, and I can tell you this: The Elves back home are fairer and taller than humans, and the only thing that tells us of their age is the depth of their eyes" She had fought alongside the Elves against the dark evils they had back home, and in repayment, they held no grudges against her, even giving her the spoils of their hunting so she could take the blood she needed to live on… "In the Elven-tongue, Chevaliers are called Rochir, and are regarded highly in their eyes"

"How many Chevaliers do you have?" It was a question that everyone was dying to know, and only one as Adam dared to ask. "I mean, you've lived for, like, two millennia, right?" Everyone fell silent as they awaited her answer. From their short time of getting to know her acquaintance, all of them felt indeed that she was a part of them, especially Saya. She had felt some _link_ with her aunt, it had been the same when she first met Diva; it had been the same when she first met her nieces. Something in her told her that Undomelinn was family. Adam's words soon returned to focus, he added, "There has to be a whole legion of men that would die for you…"

The ancient Queen fell silent, and forced a smile. She had no love for her Chevalier after all that he had done… If it were not for _him_, Arya I would not have been lost to her, and Arya I's children and grandchildren would not have to suffer as they did. "I… killed my only Chevalier" she said, "His name was Aran-magol, a human-prince of great passion and hatred, proficient with the sword and all forms of swordsmanship. I thought I loved him, but used his lies to get my blood to make him immortal…" Then, driven by his instinct to mate with my sister, he raped her in her sleep… Undomelinn saw everything, and was appalled. Before Arya I had awakened, she had coated her sword with Arya I's sword and killed him… But, she found not the courage to tell Saya and the others that.

Out of a sudden, Kai popped his head into the tent and said, "We have made port, guys". His eyes then fell on Undomelinn's for the first time, and found himself staring at her in awe. He had _never_ seen anyone so beautiful in his life. She had silken hair that resembled gold mixed with the purest silver, while her clear, sapphire eyes (which were far different than Diva I's or Kaya's) seemed to hold a burning fire that caught his gaze, taking away his ability to breathe. "Who are you?" he asked his voice so soft that his words were almost inaudible.

"My name is Undomelinn Eldaraerlinn, young human" she answered teasingly. "Saya, is this your adopted brother? He looks too much of a boy to be an overprotective foster-father to Kaya and Dina…" As she inched closer seductively to Kai, she felt a burst of anger coming from the doorway and leapt backward.

"Hand's off my husband!" Mao exclaimed, aiming a gun at Undomelinn. Thirty years after being taught on using a firearm and she still had no progress. "Oh… sorry 'Melinn-san" she said when she knew that it was only Saya's aunt. "Did Kai do anything stupid?"

Dina then said, "Kai stared at Grand-Aunt 'Melinn", feeling a tad of jealousy towards Undomelinn. Not only did she have highly beautiful features, she had a voluptuous body that left little to the imagination. It was as though someone with a lot of time and a desire to create the perfect woman had sculpted her and gave her life… "He's been stunned ever since"

"Kai-san, are you alright?" Solomon asked, waving his hand in front of Kai's eyes after giving a cooing Diva to Mao to hold while he snapped Kai out of his trance-like state. There was only one thing to do, and an extremely easy task at that. "Kaya, Dina, what do you girls think about free-diving down the Angel Falls? I hear that it is the tallest waterfall in the _world_"

As if those words were magic, Kai retorted, "Oh no, you won't! The girls are staying where they are now!" Undomelinn laughed uncontrollably at his reaction. It was almost immediate. Even the toddlers were laughing along with her. "What the hell happened to me?"

Solomon looked at Mao, and she nodded to give him permission to answer his question. "You were… ogling at Saya's beautiful aunt, Miss Eldaraerlinn" he said casually, taking Diva back into his arms. Bit by bit, he felt himself rather drawn… to the sport of getting Kai into his overprotective outbursts when Diva I's daughters were concerned. _It should be named an Olympic Sport_, Kaya once said, and he could not agree more.

"I think he is rather adorable" Undomelinn whispered to Saya, who giggled along with her.


	33. Arda

"This place is warmer than I remember" Undomelinn said, taking off her scarf. Even the ice around them had melted a lot more… They were in Scandinavia in the embrace of winter, and they were supposed to be half-freezing to death, but now, even Arya and Diva were cooing happily in their little windbreakers worn over layers and layers of woolen garments. "Is this the effect of what you call 'global warming'?"

Solomon nodded whilst he carried his older daughter, Diva in his arms. "Yes, Miss Eldaraerlinn" he answered. Another reason of why he despised humans so. They take what they can, and return nothing without knowing that Mother Nature could not ever provide them with the resources to sate their incessant hunger for wealth, which triggers war and famine… "But, we can do little now, to the folly of Man"

Kaya (who was carrying Arya in case anything happened to Saya) added, "How about the humans _back home_?" Home… it had a strange, strange ring on her tongue. Up till now, Okinawa, the Omoro was home. The only other establishments that could share that distinction was Goldschmidt Manor and the expansive apartment in Paris she had bought with Dina located within walking distance of the Cinq Fleches building when they had to attend to their jobs as the CEOs of Cinq Fleches. "There _are_ humans there, right?"

Undomelinn nodded. "When in terms of technological advancement, humans here have the upper hand, but_back home_, they seem to be more civilized, and less war-like" She knew that Solomon _hated_ humans, and it would calm his heart a little when he knew that Men (HAN: Used in LOTR to denote the human species) were none that the humans in this world were far more … _respectable_. "We call them Men there, and the Afterborn and the Atani by the tongues of the Elves. They have a greater respect for life and nature, and many are wise and brave"

Saya listened with enthusiasm as Undomelinn continued with her tale. It was as if there was no end to them, and she was fascinated by every word. There, she would be exempted from hibernation, so were her nieces, and her daughters. There, they would live like a large family, even Kai and Mao, for Undomelinn saw no problem in them tagging along. She looked at her aunt and felt her vision blur. "Otonashi, are you alright?" Mao asked, catching her when she was on the verge of collapsing. No… she wanted to find the aurora… She wanted to be with her family_back home_…

"Saya…" Kai said, rushing to her side, with Solomon but she held up her hand, and smiled towards all those around her. "We shall set up camp if you cannot continue…"

"No… I can still carry on" She said, and leant on Mao to stand on her two feet. The further they walked that day, the closer they would be to their goal… The aurora would last for only a night, and with one day left to spare, time was running out. Her children were already asleep, rocked by the movements of Solomon and Kaya as they walked, and there was practically nothing that could stop her from moving towards her goal. "Aunt 'Melinn, what is the name of our home-world?" she asked, knowing that it would motivate her further.

Fiery sapphire orbs gazed into the chestnut eyes of Saya, and Undomelinn said, "Arda. It is known as Arda…" It was the first time anyone had heard of that word, but not Nathan. Arya I had told him of it, a long, long time ago._Nathan, come with me…_ she once said. _I have to return to Arda before hibernation takes me_. "All worlds lie within the embrace of Ea, but Arda is where the Chiropterans come from. That is why we are not prosecuted there as we are here. _Back home_, every being lives in peace among each other, while we make war against the dark evils that threatens all life… But now, that dark evil has been subdued, and we really know the meaning of peace. That is why… I came to search for Arya"

"Arya would be very happy to have a sister like you, Undomelinn" Nathan said, putting an arm of Undomelinn's shoulder. "And with you leading her descendants back to Arda, she would be even happier"

Just then, Saya had managed to stand, and once again, they continued their journey further inland of the icy, unnamed island off the coast of Iceland. No one knew how many hours they had walked, with only the cries of Saya and Solomon's toddlers that signified they were hungry or needed to be changed (which were not often at all). After a short sleep, they were again back on their feet and walking again. At the evening of the day the aurora would appear… they saw a flash of green and red at the edge of the sky. Looking up with hope and joy in her eyes, Saya held Solomon's hand tight as Undomelinn stepped forward.

"Before I proceed, may I know if there is anyone who has second thoughts about this?" She asked, looking at Solomon, Saya, Dina, William, Kaya, Adam, Nathan, Kai and Mao, especially Kai and Mao. "By going to Arda, you are severing all ties with this world in which we are standing in, is it worth it to throw away your entire past for a future you are not sure of?"

All of them shook their heads. "Nankurunaisa…" Kai said, exclaiming his determination. "We are not severing ties with anything. Our past still lives with us, and so is our future. I may be mortal, but I still see a bright future" Mao smiled, and hugged him as Undomelinn ruffled his hair.

But Saya… she was feeling sleepy. Very sleepy. No! It cannot be! She did not want it to happen, she came all this way, she wanted to see Arya and Diva grow up. She wanted to be with Solomon, and the rest to watch it happen. But she could not let them know… It was a chance that only came every 120 years! She could not miss it.

"Open the gate of the Realms!" Undomelinn shouted, letting a drop of her blood fall onto the ground. Her sapphire eyes glowed in a blue light, and the moment she lifted her arms, the aurora expanded into a doorway-like structure. "Everyone, get in now!" she shouted, and they obeyed. Kaya and Adam went in first, taking Arya in with them. Saya and Solomon went in last before Undomelinn herself closed the gate and stepped into the light. For Saya, the experience was only pitch-blackness that seemed to have no end. She did not know why, but she felt rather empty… Was it truly the process of transportation between the unseen borders of two worlds?

She did not know how long had passed, and soon, she found herself in a room of light. Gold leaves were falling down from the trees outside. Was it already fall? Then, she smelt sandalwood once again. Solomon… He bared his neck for her, allowing to drink as much of his blood as was needed. And the moment her vision cleared, she saw two full-grown women with waist-length hair, dressed in floor-length gowns standing before her. One had her hair color and his eyes, while the other had the exact opposite… his hair color and her eyes… Were they… Arya and Diva? How could it be?

"Saya…" Solomon called her name and pulled her into his embrace. "Welcome home" The women too, joined in the embrace.

"Mama" they called. Then, Saya knew, that she was… home…

HAN: IT ENDS HERE, PEOPLE!!!!! I wanna take this opportunity to thank ALL the lovely people who reviewed this fic all along, you were great darlings!! To those who loved Hagi, but still loved this one, thank you!! To those who hate LOTR, but still want to read the sequel, I LOVE YOU!! Wait… I LOVE YOU ALL!!


	34. Teaser Trailer 2

Never fear who you truly are.

Solomon: I want to show you that we are miracles of this world.

You are the greatest warrior

(Saya charges towards hordes of Chiropterans)

Let those that love you drive your courage.

Kai: Saya! (Shoots one of the Corpse Corps down)

Haji: (Blocks Jame's spikes from Saya using his own body)

Solomon: (Cuts of Karl's arm while Karl drinks Saya's blood)

They want you to live.

Kai: Live today to smile tomorrow. There's no point in dying, Saya.

Solomon: I have given up everything to be with you.Be my bride.

Haji: Saya is the reason of my existence.

Embrace his love, and embrace your own life.

Solomon: Do you know that the land can glow like a rainbow, and the sea can be tinted with red? There are so many miracles that you have not seen, and I wish to see them with you.

Saya: Are you not Diva's Chevalier?

Solomon: But before that I am a man who loves you.

(Solomon kisses Saya)

Vangeance cannot end with vangeance.

Diva: Nee-sama, I know that you want to kill me. (Kneels to Saya) But spare my daughters. They are my only family next to you.

Nathan: If you can bring yourself to kill your own sister, can you bring yourself to kill her innocent daughters as well?

For he was the one who caused all your pain.

Solomon: Amshell Nii-san has planned to use Diva's daughters as the leaders of the Corpse Corps to destroy the human race,  
raised away from their own mother.

Diva: Amshell, was the one who whispered into my ear to kill Joel I...

Nathan: If you want peace to come between us, we must stop Amshell.

James: You have planned to use Diva all along!

Peace must come before the final battle is fought.

Saya: Diva, let's call a truce. We won't hurt each other ever again.

Diva: (Smiles and hugs Saya)

Amshell: I despise you, Saya. If it were not for you, Diva would still be only mine!

For the sake of your children, you will fight.

Solomon: I shall fight next to you for a future that our children will be proud of.

Joel VI: As penance for what my ancestor has done to you, Diva, will you accept me as the surrogate father of your children?

For the love of Blood, you must live.

(Saya and Diva charges at Amshell and rips out his heart)

For the future, you must survive.

(Four little girls play together on a meadow filled with flowers, watched by Saya, Diva, Haji and Joel)

This is the sort-of preview for my new fic, For the Love of Blood. Pls review to tell me if you liked this. 


	35. NOTE!

HAN: Hey people! I know how you loved this fic, and I know that it has been a long, long time since I've done anything to it. Hence, I have decided to rewrite Ashes of the Future! Yay! I've been adding some things and perhaps, I would make some changes to it as I see fit. There's about seven chapters up now in the new one, and like this one, I'll be updating almost daily! Its called "Ashes of the Future Redux" and I hope that you'll enjoy it as you have enjoyed this one!


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